Love in The Time of Intergalactic Warfare
by Winelover1989
Summary: AU:Krypton survived. As a war brews between Krypton and Daxam, Diplomat Kara Zor-El, a young and inexperienced member of the Intergalactic Peacekeeping Forces (Space UN) is Krypton's only hope in their time of crisis. Travelling to Daxam, she puts her political differences and distrust aside, to work with Prince Mon-el towards their common goal of establishing peace.
1. Chapter 1

**Destined to be a Hero**

The Scarlett rays barely pierced through Kara's window as she scurried around her room, preparing for the biggest day of her career. Since childhood, Kara wanted to follow into her mother's footsteps and make a difference. Alura was one of the most influential judicators on Krypton, but Kara discovered a different path for her life while studying Krypton's law. She didn't want to pass judgment, she wanted to prevent crises before they occurred and be a peace maker. For the past few years, she was trained for negotiations, forming alliances, the art of compromise and forging peace treaties that would last. She understood it was a difficult job that required extensive training but she was desperate to go out in the field. What she didn't wish for was a threat of this magnitude to pull her into the field way before her time. She rushed to the Citadel, to make sure that she was the first one to show up at the war council meeting.

Kara spotted her mother and her aunt Astra talking the moment she entered the Citadel, both sisters standing stronger than the pillars that surrounded them, with the weight of the worlds on their shoulders. Krypton wouldn't have survived the threat of destruction thirteen years ago if the two of them hadn't joined forces and saved the planet from a highly probable doomsday. That was the only time Kara witnessed both sisters under this much stress. The reason behind this urgent meeting was classified and Kara's brain was flooded with catastrophic theories. She wasn't ready to represent the Peacemaking Forces all by herself, it was too soon for her, and she needed her mentor by her side.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" Kara asked as she approached Astra and Alura, her royal blue gown trailing behind her. The formal gown complete with House El's coat of arms was what Alura wore on her first day at the Citadel, she passed it down to Kara for her big day.

"I've been here all night. Both of us called for the war council meeting. I'm guessing you haven't been briefed yet." Astra raised an eyebrow, questioning Kara.

"No, I was just told that this is a Priority Zero intergalactic incident and that I had to represent the Peacemaking Forces alone. What happened?" Kara asked, terror seeping in as Astra averted her eyes. "Why am I the only one here from my office? I'm the least experienced." She inquired, her voice shaky.

"I don't know how to tell you this, little one, but almost everyone from your office is either dead or trying to make amends for what happened last night." Astra said, still avoiding eye contact.

Alura's expression softened after looking into her daughter's eyes, "There was an event last night and most of the emissaries currently residing on Krypton were in attendance. Many people from your office attended as well. They were attacked around midnight and we were left with a large number of causalities. Almost everyone from the Peacemaking Forces established diplomatic channels with the planets whose emissaries didn't survive the attack and they left for the respective planets soon after. But a few hours ago, despite the increased security, there was a second attack on the Daxamite Embassy and we haven't been able to establish communication with them since. The only thing we know for sure is that they are treating it as an act of war and their missiles are pointed at Krypton at the moment, ready for attack. We have Intel that they are preparing battle ships as we speak." Alura sighed, gesturing them to walk towards the War Council Chambers.

"But why would they take such drastic steps?" Kara asked, she knew that Daxam and Krypton were rivals but cutting communication lines and declaring war was a bad move considering Daxam's current economic conditions. Kara opened the door for them. This was the first time she stepped into these Chambers and it was spectacular, a circular room with high ceiling and two semi-circular desks on both sides.

Astra smirked, "Well our brilliant General thought that it was a good idea to point our missiles at them before initiating communication, some nonsense about gaining the upper hand and being prepared for the worst." She slumped into her chair, "If we didn't have to prepare for the worst before, we absolutely have to now." She stood up straight in her chair and threw her arms up in the air. "I am so done with men and their desire to start unnecessary pissing contests." She declared, making Kara smile for the first time since she woke up.

"I could try to establish communication with some of the Royal advisors who are neutral towards Krypton in the hopes that one of them convinces the Queen and the King to hear us out." She said, pushing a button on her pendant that projected a screen and a keyboard on the desk in front of her.

The General stormed in, followed by the rest of the council members, "Daxamites are drunk and lazy hedonists ruled by monarchs, they can't be reasoned with. Reason didn't work the last time we were in this situation and reason wouldn't work this time either." He declared with conviction.

"I agree with you, Daxam is a problematic planet, but you are the one who acted unreasonably this time General." Alura raised both her palms momentarily for gesturing him to calm down.

"We need to act now, before they prepare their battleships. We could liberate the people of Daxam, finally give them freedom and gain control of their abundant natural resources." He paced around the room, making sure everyone in the room understood the opportunity this presents.

Astra sighed, "There we go again with your lust for exploitation of natural resources." She rubbed her forehead. "We came this close," she brought her thumb and index finger close together, "to the destruction of our planet because of your pointless agenda, and now you want to destroy another planet for it. Krypton is functioning perfectly with what we have and we can't afford to waste taxpayer money on a war so that you can satisfy your ego."

"You are slowing down the growth of our planet with your lack of ambition and meager notions of sustainability." The well built middle aged man in full armor paused in front of Astra's desk.

"And you would destroy both Krypton and Daxam with your blood lust and war mongering, General!" Astra stood up in her chair, to look him in the eye, her palms resting on the desk to support her body weight.

"Enough!" Alura commanded, switching eye contact between Astra and the General.

"I finally made contact with one of the advisors and they are ready to talk, but they won't allow anything larger than a single person pod anywhere near their planet," Kara interrupted, still typing furiously on her keyboard.

"The Peacekeeping Forces sent a child to represent them? She can't be older than twenty five! Is she even fully trained to handle a crisis of this magnitude?" The General demanded, studying Kara like she was an alien.

"I could leave as soon as I have a detailed report of last night's incident to study while travelling. I will make contact as soon as I gather new information." Kara said, struggling to stay professional and ignoring the General's condescending remarks.

"You can't go alone!" Alura quipped. "What if they take you prisoner and use you as a bargaining chip? What if they attack your pod?"

"It wouldn't come to that. Trust me Mother, I am ready to handle this and from what I gather, the Daxamites believe that we declared war on them by attacking their embassy and pointing our missiles in their direction. I'm sure I can stop this war if I can just sit down with the Royal family and clear everything up. The Prince's personal advisor assured safe passage for a single pod, they would not attack me." She pleaded her case.

"One life is not that big of a risk." The General said, nonchalantly, rubbing his chin.

"I don't trust that infamous playboy prince! Does he even have any real power?" Alura shook her head, convinced that Kara is taking a great risk. Kara agreed with her mother, considering everything she read about the prince in the tabloids over the years, but this was their only pacifist option.

Alura was in a difficult position; strategically it made sense, but she was a mother and she couldn't help but worry about what those Daxamites could do to her little girl. It was a race of hedonists and bullies, with a medieval political system, cruel practices and they weren't particularly known for their levelheadedness. On the other hand, this could be the Kara's greatest achievement; she would always be remembered as the youngest diplomat to stop a war, and not just any war, but a war between Krypton and Daxam. Alura reluctantly nodded her head and ordered one of the council members to make the report from last night's incidents available to Kara. When it was time for her to leave, her entire family came to see her again and Alura hugged Kara with every last bit of strength that she could muster.

"You are so brave for doing this, Kara." She said with pride, a single tear falling down her cheek.

"I get it from you, mom. You don't have to carry the burden of saving Krypton alone anymore, let me share it." Kara held her mother by her shoulders and breathing in the pride that she witnessed in her mother's eyes.

"You were always destined to be a hero." Alura said as Kara got into the pod and sealed it. She programmed Daxam's position into the pod and within seconds she could see her entire world behind her. She knew what she was fighting for; she had to protect her world at all cost.


	2. Chapter 2

**Fallen**

Kara's pod approached its programmed destination on Daxam and she was spellbound by the pyramid shaped palace. Having only seen pictures of it, she was taken aback by how magnificently it stood in the middle of the desert. As her pod was about to land behind the palace, she noticed a large group of armed troops in their signature grey Daxamite armor lead by someone in a black cloak. Kara began to panic; this seemed a bit much for a welcome party.

"Are you sure about this? Queen Rhea will not be happy." Stefan stepped forward, lifting the helmet of his armor to look his Prince in the eye. His own forest green eyes were jaded and hard to read, and his perfectly chiseled features seemed even sharper in the face of conflict.

"You're the Commander of our Armed Forces, yet you fear my mother more than I'm obligated to? She didn't explicitly give either of us an order that contradicts any of this." Mon-el said, barely meeting his eyes, just his beard visible from under the black hood.

"Let's hope this Kryptonian friend of yours is more diplomatic than their Emissary who is rotting in a dungeon on your beloved mother's orders, even though he didn't _explicitly_ commit a crime," Stefan said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "And let's pray that both of us don't join him soon enough."

"I was raised by our beloved Queen, remember? There's no trick left in her book that I'm not already immune to. Don't worry! I'll take full responsibility for this if push comes to shove." He waved his hand to reassure Stefan. "The diplomat whose office got in touch with us for safe passage was the Krytonian Emissary on Daxam when I was a child. He's bit of a father figure to me. The moment I received communication from his office, I knew he's our only hope in these hostile times. He's an excellent negotiator and he's even better at making mother forget that he was born on Krypton." Mon-El ran a hand through his beard as he spoke.

The pod landed smoothly, kicking up fair amount sand as it made contact with the ground. Kara stepped out cautiously, clutching her slightly wrinkled gown. The only armed guard whose face was visible seemed baffled by her presence. The man next to him, the only one in the crowd not in armor, wore royal attire; a maroon closed neck suit jacket with slacks, black boots, and a cloak pinned to his suit by two small gold medallions, perfectly draping his tall muscular body. Masked by the cloak's hood, she could barely see his face, except for a full beard, but she guessed it was probably the Prince of Daxam, considering that one of his advisors invited her.

"I didn't expect this Kryptonian father figure of yours to be so feminine and beautiful!" Stefan laughed, only to draw a frustrated sigh from his Mon-el. "Hey, I'm not judging! Just appreciating what I've committed treason for by allowing a Kryptonian pod safe passage." He said, flashing a surprisingly beautiful smile at Mon-el.

Mon-el closed the distance between him and this mysterious blonde-haired beauty in a regal royal blue gown. His steps were careful and measured. His mind was racing with concern for his friend and for the future of Daxam. He didn't know who she was, why she was sent here or if he could even trust her and yet when he saw her up-close for the first time, really saw her, the only thought that consumed him was how perfectly the red sun's rays fell on her face. Her perfect skin glowing, golden streaks illuminated like a halo, her full lips slightly parted as if half formed questions danced upon them and her questioning eyes were insanely blue, like comets that just fell from the sky. A new kind of confusion washing over him, the kind that he didn't have the luxury to indulge in at the moment.

He slowly removed his hood and his unsure grayish blue eyes met hers, more baffled than the handsome man in armor that was quickly catching up to him. She hadn't seen any of his pictures in the tabloids in recent years. He must be in his late thirties now, but he has definitely aged like wine. He extended his hand to greet her.

"I would like introduce his Royal Highness, Prince of Daxam, to the lady." Stefan respectfully gestured at Mon-el, "and I'm Stefan, Commander of Daxam's Armed Forces." He courteously announced, resting a hand on his chest.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, just call me Mon-el." Mon-el cut in to clarify, sensing her discomfort. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Forgive me for saying this but I wasn't aware that Krypton was sending a new diplomatic attaché when I granted safe passage."

"I'm Kara Zor-El, acting Diplomatic Attaché to Daxam and member of Krypton's Intergalactic Peacekeeping Forces." She smiled politely, she had read about pompous royal introductions and courtesies but this was the first time she witnessed it personally and she was trying really hard not to laugh. "I'm aware of your friendship with my mentor. I apologize for not making it clear in my exchange with your advisor and that our usual diplomatic attaché, for intergalactic incidents with Daxam, couldn't make it. These are challenging times, I'm sure you can understand. I can assure you that I am fully equipped to handle this situation." Kara said, mustering all the courage she could gather, maintaining an authoritative yet polite tone. "I am curious about the armed guards in such large numbers. I am completely unarmed and here with peaceful intent." She said with just a hint of fear cracking through.

Mon-el shook his head, "I'm sorry about that, the security detail is here for your protection right now and a fraction of it, your escort while you're here. I'm afraid not every member of the great royal family of Daxam is on the same page about peaceful negotiations with Krypton. Until I can arrange that, you'll be under my protection and they will assure that you're not harmed." He gestured her to lead the way as he turned to look at Stefan, who somehow managed to look more hopeless. She followed him in silence, still unsure of what she just walked into.

"Please escort her to the East Wing," he ordered Stefan, but as soon as the swarm started moving, Mon-el grabbed Stefan's hand to stop him. "Triple the security detail and make sure mother doesn't enter my wing until I talk to Diplomat Zor-El and mother separately, and can figure out how best to approach this situation," he whispered into Stefan's ear.

"Gods! What is Krypton really up to? First the attack on the Embassy, then they point all their missiles at us and now they send someone we have never met. I have never seen a diplomat this young." Stefan whispered to him as they followed Kara, who was now surrounded by a hundred guards.

"Sure, we spent most of our twenties partying and it took us a while to become more responsible but who knows? Maybe they start young on Krypton and we need to stay hopeful and keep an open mind about her." Mon-el said embracing optimism, his eyes more hopeless than his words and tone would have Stefan believe.

"Speak for yourself! I was climbing my way up the ranks in my twenties and trying my best not to be distracted by you." Stefan sassed, trying to lighten the mood.

"Whatever you say, Commander!" Mon-el said, pretending to be offended.

"Let me fulfill your orders regarding the security detail, my Prince!" Stefan said, leaving Mon-el unable tell if he was still teasing or not.

"My humble request…" He corrected before Stefan was too far ahead of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Beautiful Prison Cell**

Kara found herself subtly snooping around in a room without slanted walls or windows, so she figured she wasn't close to the exterior walls of the pyramid. It was a beautiful suite, very vibrant and colorful with skilled stone work, decorative pieces, and chandeliers to flaunt Daxam's craftsmanship with precious metals and jewels. Every piece of art, even the furniture was reflective of Daxam's obsession with beauty and extravagance. There was even a pool in the center of the sitting area and the room had an intoxicating exotic fragrance that was very foreign, yet soothing. She felt a bit uncomfortable by her surrounding; Krypton's architecture was more practical and minimal. The ten guards inside the suite, and the hundreds guarding the entire wing, only added to her distress. She still wasn't sure if these were extremely safe living quarters or a beautiful prison cell.

The door unlocked and Mon-el barged in, clearly distracted by the frustrating conversation he just had with the Queen. The guard who opened the door for him relieved him of his cloak before departing the room. He gave a half nod to one of the guards and all of them left, closing the door behind them. He walked to the table and pulled a chair out. "Diplomat Zor-El… Let's sit down and talk, shall we?" He gestured to the chair and walked around to the opposite end of the round table and sat back in his chair.

"Just call me Kara." She clarified as she sat down. She wanted to understand if she was a prisoner here or if he was an ally, genuinely trying to protect her from a threat she wasn't aware of. She decided to give up control and formality in order to foster trust and create an illusion of friendship, the first lesson her mentor taught her.

Running a hand through his beard, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Please be honest with me, no diplomatic answers…" He said in a softer tone and the formal façade dropping from his face, "What happened to my friend? Why were you sent instead of him?" His eyes, previously focused on his fidgeting knotted fingers, met hers, sincerely expecting the truth.

"He was at the event that was bombed a few hours before the attack on the Daxamite embassy." She bit her lip and looked away, tucking a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. "He's no more."

Somewhere deep down, he knew the moment she stepped out of that pod instead of him but he was in denial. There was no time for grief or formalities, he had to get a better read on her and figure out what she knew. "I'm sorry for your loss. I'm sure it must be hard to lose a mentor, to be expected to step into his shoes way before your time and end up surrounded by armed guards on an enemy planet, all in such short duration of time." He let out a deep breath, "How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm sorry for your loss as well," She echoed with a slight nod. "I'm holding up just fine, you know… considering there's a war brewing and all that…." She threw her hands up in the air and he smiled despite his grief and frustration, he was surprised by how endearing she was. "But I am a bit confused about the guards," she tilted her head, quizzically. "I hope you'll extend the courtesy and be honest with me as well."

Mon-el leaned back in his chair, just one hand on the table, incessantly tapping his index finger against the surface. "If I'm being completely honest, it's not safe for you here right now." He looked up into her eyes and was momentarily distracted by how they transformed to a deeper shade of blue in low lighting; he shook his head to get back to what he was saying. "The Kryptonian Emissary was arrested on the Queen's orders a few hours ago for not having any answers about Krypton's actions since last night. I was just trying to make sure that my friend doesn't share the same fate, which is why I put these security measures in place. When I discovered that you were sent instead of him, your security detail was tripled because it's highly likely that my mother gets offended by your age and lack of experience with Daxam." Sensing a slight irritation on her face when he said that, he rushed to assuage ruffled feathers, "I'm sure you are highly qualified, I was just being cautious."

"The Kryptonian Emissary was arrested for not having information that even the council wasn't aware of until a few hours ago? That sounds a bit extreme, even for-" She instantly regretted her outburst and bit her lip before she regained her polite diplomatic tone.

"Even for Daxam?" Mon-el smiled, amused by the momentary display of anger.

"No! N-No," She stuttered, "I-I wasn't implying…." Kara raised both of her hands a bit to clarify.

"Its fine… we can talk freely." His smile grew bigger. She was already his favorite diplomat. "So what exactly happened last night?" He asked, taking advantage of the brief window when her guard was down.

Kara took a deep breath. "There was an attack at the event where all Emissaries and people from my office were in attendance. Almost everyone from the Peacekeeping Forces left for planets whose Emissaries were in attendance, to ensure that there's no miscommunication. A few hours later there was an attack on Daxam's Embassy. Our armed forces made the decision to prepare for the worst before reestablishing communication channels. Admittedly, this backfired, since Daxam viewed it as an act of war," Kara finished, intrigued by skepticism and distrust on Mon-el's face.

"You mentioned that all Emissaries were at this event and that everyone from your office left for planets who's Emissaries were in attendance shortly after the attack. Since no one reached out to us last night, I'm assuming the Daxamite Emissary wasn't in attendance. Were they invited?" He said rubbing his chin, trying his best to keep his expressions neutral.

Kara pushed the button on her pendant, which projected a screen in front of her. She took a good look at the report about last night to double check the details about the Daxamite Emissary. "An invitation was sent to the Daxamite Emissary but she cancelled at the last moment." She informed him, not sure of what intel the Daxamites had.

"And a few hours later our Embassy was attacked and your General felt the need to go on the defense. That seems a bit suspicious, doesn't it?" He inquired.

"If you are you implying that both the attacks were specifically directed at the Daxamite Emissary and Krypton's Council had anything at all to do with it," her voice was polite but her eyes were shooting daggers at him, "then you are mistaken. The investigation is still ongoing but all evidence points to an anti-alien terrorist group, which aimed to disrupt the proposal of a new peace treaty at last night's event. They will be apprehended soon enough. The General is just not a very firm believer in Daxam and Krypton's diplomatic relationship. I'm sure you can understand that, considering the reason behind your concern for my safety," she quipped, regaining control and brainstorming ways to get more information out of him.

"I know all about the General's unwavering opinions about evil Daxamites who attacked Krypton without provocation during the last war, even though he wasn't even born back then," Mon-el rolled his eyes. "I know Daxam isn't perfect, but pointing all the missiles at us seems a bit extreme for a precaution and both attacks simply being random acts of violence doesn't add up," He said.

Kara tried her best to not let to his mockery of Krypton's General get to her, considering how she held the same beliefs that Mon-el just ridiculed. She couldn't allow herself to go off on a tangent about the last war; it was the easiest way to start a fight between a Kryptonian and a Daxamite. She had to gain the upper hand in this interrogation and figure out what he knows. "What do you know that we don't? Why would anyone target the Daxamite Emissary?" she probed, resting her elbows on the table and her chin on her laced fingers. A long uncomfortable pause followed.

"I'll show you mine if you show me yours." he suggested nonchalantly. "Did the General have plans to attack Daxam before you reached out to us? I promise none of this would leave the room."

His choice of words made Kara smile and she thought about this long and well, "Yes, I guess he was counting on Daxam to react poorly, but there were many of us who wanted to keep peace between our planets. Now share your Intel," she demanded.

"The Daxamite Emissary used to be a scientist who was working on a classified research project under the Commander of our Armed Forces before the project was sacked, and she was sent to Krypton as a diplomat. A few days ago, she reached out to Stefan, our Commander, to inform him that she might have figured out a solution for their failed research project. She cancelled her plans to attend the event because she reached out to Stefan to share her research and seek permission to return to Daxam. She was supposed to return this morning but the Embassy was attacked last night. I have a hard time believing that all of this is a coincidence," he said, carefully studying her for the slightest hint of previous knowledge of any of this.

"What was the research project about?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I can't share that information but it's definitely something that your General wouldn't be happy about." Without warning, a guard entered the room and, whispered something in Mon-el's ear before leaving as abruptly as he'd arrived. "The Queen has summoned us," he stood up, convinced that he can trust in her, "but right now she doesn't know any of it so stick to your initial story and don't mention anything about your General's ambitions for Daxam, or our Commander's side project with the Daxamite Emissary." He offered his hand to Kara and when they were about to step out of the door, he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Be careful! Maintain a poker face no matter what comes your way and keep your answers short." Mon-el was genuinely scared for Kara, recalling a memory of the last time he walked hand in hand with a woman through the East Wing, escorted by hundreds of armed guards during a political crisis to meet his mother. He hoped it would end differently this time.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Queen of Daxam**

Daxam's throne room was designed to overwhelm. A large structure in the center of the pyramid with beautiful stonework embellished in gold, decorated by shallow pools as well as armed guards. A multi-level staircase tapered to match the shape of the palace. Each step was lit by blue under light and there were guards on every level that lead to the throne. Three giant bronze statues of cloaked figures, ancient symbols engraved onto them, watched over two identical thrones. The most powerful presence in the room was Queen Rhea of Daxam, seated on the throne with her legs crossed and both her palms resting on the arms of her throne. She wore a black off-the-shoulder floor length gown with full sleeves and dramatically raised collar. The Queen was in armor, a protective black chest plate, as per Daxamite protocol for war. A black crown perfectly flattered her brunette curls. Her smoky black eyes were cold and intimidating. She was truly a symbol of power and authority.

King Lar Gand sat next to her in a Grey closed neck suit, slacks and black boots. He smiled when he made eye contact with Kara, surprising her with such an unexpected contradiction to her expectations. Rhea, on the other hand, silently studied her like a hawk and tilted her head as she established eye contact with Mon-el, silently questioning him.

Kara and Stefan closely followed Mon-el with the rest of the security detail not far behind. They respectfully bowed to the Queen and King. "Mother, Father, this is Diplomat Kara Zor-el of Krypton," Mon-el extended his arm to point to Kara, "and she is here on a peacekeeping mission on Krypton's behalf." He extended his arm to the circular table in the middle of the room, at the end of the throne's staircase, "shall we proceed with the peaceful negotiations Your Majesty?"

"So, who on Krypton wants you dead?" Rhea eyed Kara like prey and just when everyone in the room was gearing up for battle, her laugh echoed throughout the tense throne room. "Relax! It just seems like your General relied too much on the rumors of my cruelty," she playfully wiggled her eyebrows, "sending you here to fail. Expecting me to send your body back in pieces and using the death of a beautiful child such as yourself as the perfect excuse to wage war on Daxam." She muttered under her breath, "the predictability of Krypton's ludicrous tactics."

"Well that went far better than we expected from your mother." Stefan whispered to Mon-el, leaving Kara with the fear of what those expectations might have been.

Rhea whispered something into Lar's ear and stood up, "Let's eat! I'm sure your little friend here is famished." Gliding down the stairs with poise, Rhea's gown moved fluidly to match her steps. Lar followed, joining her at the table. Before Kara, Mon-el and Stefan could even sit; the servants began table service, moving efficiently in perfect sync. Rhea noticed the disgust in Kara's eyes when Rhea clapped to summon a servant, it seemed like Kara wasn't trained enough to hide her feelings about Daxam's culture as well as most Kryptonian diplomats. When a group of beautifully dressed musicians started playing their instruments in a corner, she noticed Kara almost roll her eyes. She still wasn't sure if sending a child barely out of the birthing matrix to represent Krypton was their way of mocking Daxam from a position of strength, or an act of desperation when Krypton was at its most vulnerable.

Several meal courses and awkward small talk topics later, Rhea broke the silence, her wine glass barely parting from her lips. "I heard you two had a long intimate chat, I hope you gathered some useful information about last night's events," she inquired of Mon-El.

"The attack was not directed at Daxam. An anti-alien terrorist group on Krypton targeted all the Emissaries currently residing on Krypton by attacking more than one site. The goal was to disrupt a new peace treaty Krypton planned to propose last night; their peacekeeping forces are working relentlessly to restore order all across the galaxy." He carefully measured his words as he spoke, ignoring the stink eye Stefan was giving him.

"The missiles were directed at Daxam as a precaution before reestablishing communication channels and I would like to apologize for the unwise move and the misunderstanding it caused, Your Majesty." Kara clarified, shifting eye contact from Rhea to Lar Gand.

Lar and Rhea whispered something to each other for a while before they looked at each other in agreement. "It's settled then! Convince your General to stand down and we'll do the same. Once the threat of war doesn't haunt our solar system, we can sit down like civilized people and talk about a Peace Treaty that would last," King Lar Gand declared. He and Rhea were sure that they could use Krypton's vulnerable condition and Kara's lack of experience to negotiate a better treaty than the last one.

Kara reluctantly decided to negotiate, trying to channel enough strength and authority to talk to Rhea as an equal. "As a token of good faith…the release of the Kryptonian Emissary, perhaps…would demonstrate to the Council how serious you are about peace."

"I thought the missiles were a precaution. Now that we have agreed to cease fire, why would Krypton need added motivation to cooperate?" Rhea asked in a calm yet terrifying tone.

"It's just that he was unfairly arrested without due process for not having information that even the Council didn't have last night. I have now provided that Information. It is cruel and immoral." Kara's respectful mask not perfectly hiding the touch of anger busting at the seams.

"Even as trained diplomats, high and mighty Kryptonians can't help but look down upon Daxam or weigh their self righteous demands against something concrete to offer." Rhea bitterly took a swig of her wine. "Tell me, Kryptonian, how moral is Fort Rozz, leaving prisoners in a suspended state for eternity with no plans of rehabilitation, or General Zod's notorious and genocidal war crimes throughout the galaxy, or your current General's interventionist and war mongering outlook towards conflicts on other planets that are none of Krypton's business?" Rhea had no intention of letting this child foster any illusions of having the upper hand in this situation or make demands unless she delivers on her empty promises.

Mon-el looked at Kara and silently pleaded with her to not take the bait for the argument. "I didn't mean to offend you. Please forgive me, Your Majesty." Kara clarified.

"Mother, now that we have all the information we wanted and our planets are working towards establishing peace, I would like to recommend a compromise. He could be accommodated in one of the highly guarded and secure suites in my wing until you choose to release him," Mon-el requested in a tone that was beginning to have a hypnotic and soothing effect on Kara.

Kara suddenly realized what he just said and almost instantly she turned to shoot him a look of accusation, obvious betrayal in her eyes. Just as she suspected, hers was a beautiful prison cell. So much for all that talk of her safety. Mon-el looked down and then at Stefan, who had nothing but a sarcastic half smile to offer in return.

"I can accept that offer, the prisoner will be transferred to the East Wing," Queen Rhea agreed, noticing the silent exchange between the three of them. She put down her wine glass and sat back in her chair. "Mon-el, a touch of pacifism is sometimes good in difficult political matters, which is why I could look past you going behind my back to allow safe passage to a Kryptonian pod. It was a huge risk; the pod could have contained a biological weapon, but you promised me a peaceful resolution and you delivered. I can even forgive the fact that you ordered my Commander to turn your wing into a maximum security prison, wasting Daxam's military resources on the safety of Kryptonians. What I can't allow is for you to go completely soft and give our enemies the impression that they can walk all over you. You will be King some day! Start acting like one."

Kara noticed Mon-el listening to his mother, perfectly concealing his frustration, but when he finally clenched his jaw and opened his mouth to speak, Stefan gently and stealthily squeezed his thigh under the table to offer support. Kara was new to this planet, but considering how close Stefan's hand was to Mon-el's crotch, it was the kind of intimacy that lovers exhibited on Krypton. Surprisingly in that instant, she felt something unexpected and very close to jealousy. Brushing it off, Kara recalled her anger at Mon-el for making her one of the two Kryptonian prisoners in the East Wing. Overcompensating for the jealousy she would rather forget, she focused harder on the anger.

The meeting was quickly dismissed and Kara was supposed to come back to the Queen with a cease fire. All that betrayal, the overcompensation for the jealousy and the repressed anger Queen Rhea stirred up in Kara's mind suddenly exploded outside the throne room and she confronted Mon-el. "I thought you were different and I believed that my suite wasn't just a fancy prison cell, simply because you assured me that it was for my own safety. I don't know what game you are playing here with all the information withholding and the conspiracy theories, but your offer for upgrading the Emissary's confinement to a suite was not very different from what your mother did." She instantly regretted it when she noticed how deeply he was hurt by her words.

Stefan stepped between them, shielding Mon-el as if he was in physical danger. "You are addressing the Crown Prince of Daxam. Absolutely never talk to him like that! You have no idea what a mammoth task it was to setup these peace talks and how much of your job he did in there, for you and Kryptonian Emissary," he enunciated the word Kryptonian with repulsion. "With his 'information withholding' and 'conspiracy theories'," he quoted her by drawing air quotes with his fingers, "and that offer was good negotiation. And absolutely never compare him to his mother!" He half turned, before looking back at her, "This is what politics and diplomacy looks like: gaining control over the narrative, choosing what battles to fight in the open and which ones to fight secretly and which compromises to make so that everyone walks away with a solution. Take note, kiddo!" Guards, escort Diplomat Zor-el to her quarters, for her own safety," Stefan said, stressing every single word of the last phrase. With a nod to the side, he gestured for Mon-el to depart with him and together they stormed dramatically away. Mon-el allowed himself one last glance at her over his shoulder as he left.

"Golly! I wonder what he would do to someone who physically threatened Mon-el," she thought out loud.

"No one outside the Royal family would even dare to imagine that but the last person who was plotting to end the Prince's life, the Commander delivered their head in a basket to the co-conspirators. Their heads were rolling on the floor soon enough," a guard chipped in.


	5. Chapter 5

**Proper Royal Orgy™**

The sitting area of Mon-el's suite was just a giant library, decorated with artifacts he had collected from all the planets he visited and everything that fascinated him about Daxam's history. Stefan followed him to his personal chamber. It had an oversized bed, capable of accommodating six people twice as tall as him, the headboard upholstered in beige leather and gold inlay, on one end of the room. An enormous pile of books cluttered of the floor beside the bed, trailing all the way to the window. At the other end of the otherwise perfectly tidy and uncluttered room, was situated a fireplace and cozy sitting area. The slanted external pyramid wall that connected both the ends of the room had large windows with the most scenic view of a scarlet sunset over this magnificent desert city.

"I don't need you to fight my battles for me, Stefan!" Mon-el said furiously throwing his hands up in the air as he kicked off both of his boots. His valet took this as his cue to unbutton Mon-el's jacket.

"I'm the Commander of the Armed Forces to a planet you will someday rule. I'm pretty sure that's my job description," Stefan sassed. Arguments only made him more sarcastic, a habit of which Mon-el wasn't a fan.

"Well maybe I don't _want_ to be the King!" Mon-el dragged his steps to the foot of his bed and slumped into the mattress, dramatically defeated. The twenty or so staff members in the room, guards, handmaidens, valets, stewards, Stefan's squire and Mon-el's butler all shared awkward looks.

Gesturing to his squire with two fingers, Stefan stretched out his arms, indicating for the young man and a nearby handmaiden to help relieve him of his armor. "What do you mean you don't want to be the King? It's your birthright and duty!" Stefan affirmed, sternly.

Mon-el rolled over and blankly stared at the roof in silent contemplation. "My wife was supposed to the Queen someday, she was a natural leader. My strength rests in strategy and knowledge, while her strengths were her ability to influence and the poise with which she made tough choices during crises. We made a great team. I don't think I'm cut out to do this on my own; I won't be able to do justice to our shared vision."

The squire put aside Stefan's upper body gear, exposing a full sleeve black undershirt. "Katherine was a warrior, like your mother, like me and I have no doubt that she would have made an excellent Queen. I agreed with her politics a lot more than I agree with your mother's, but she's no more Mon-el," his voice uncharacteristically soft. The squire and handmaiden started on his lower body gear. "And let me tell you one thing, people like us might be great at giving orders, powering through crises and exuding strength, but we need soft pacifists like you a lot more than we let on," he chuckled, stepping out of his gear.

Mon-el sat up, hunching, with his elbows resting on his knees and his chin resting over the back of his laced fingers. "Thanks for the back-handed compliment, Stefan," he rolled his eyes. "Do you ever feel like getting into a pod and leaving Daxam? Starting over on a new planet where things are simpler… and just leading a normal life?" He looked at Stefan with those dreamy puppy dog eyes Stefan hadn't seen in a long time.

"Where's the fun in that? Normal is overrated!" Stefan said pulling up his undershirt, exposing his perfectly defined abs. "Things aren't simpler no matter where you run, every planet has its own unique set of issues. Not to mention that your mother would track you down and drag you back to Daxam." He handed his undershirt to his squire, who was completely mesmerized by how good Stefan looked just wearing those tight black slacks. Walking towards Mon-el, Stefan smiled mischievously. "What caused this early onset of midlife crisis for you?" He asked as he kneeled down to his prince, resting his forearm over Mon-el's thigh.

"Today just brought up memories of the last time we came this close to a war." Mon-el shook his head, his gaze dropping. "Memories of losing Katherine, memories I would rather not dwell upon!" Mon-el's butler poured some Zakarian Ale into a chalice and offered it to him; alcohol was the Daxamite cure for overwhelming emotions.

Stefan ran a hand through Mon-el's short hair, enjoying the satisfying feeling of toying with the negligible length at the back of his head. "Hey! You'll make a great King someday. The fact that you don't lust for power and your political ideology is looked down upon as weak or soft by warriors doesn't mean you aren't cut out to do this. In fact, these are qualities that will make you the King that Daxam hasn't had in centuries, the King it desperately needs, now more than ever. You have a good heart Mon-el, I believe in you…. There are so many people who believe in you and what you stand for, what Katherine stood for, what she died for!" Stefan watched Mon-el gulp down his Zakarian Ale as he spoke, but when he was done talking he snatched the chalice from Mon-el's hand, drinking down the rest. He too, required intoxication after that conversation.

"I noticed that you were not happy about me opting for the random violence narrative. I'm sorry for keeping your theory about the attacks being related to our mutual friend, just between us for now. I simply wanted these peace negotiations to go smoothly and avoid a war. I plan to employ espionage to investigate the situation on Krypton by sending our best spies as diplomatic attachés for peace talks," Mon-el whispered into Stefan's ear.

"How do you plan on getting that done?" Stefan tilted his head in question.

"I-I might have t-told Kara about your theory…." Mon-el disclosed cautiously, as the disbelief in Stefan's eyes grew. "She already agreed to keep me in the loop for any developments on the investigation from Krypton's end. I'm sure I can convince her to urge the council to allow Daxamite diplomats on Krypton as well." He spoke softly so that the staff wouldn't hear.

"Kara? The girl who was furious with you mere moments ago? Your attraction towards her is clouding your judgment!" Stefan waved his free hand decisively.

"A-at-attraction? What?" Mon-el laughed uncomfortably. "If anything, you're the one who called her beautiful the moment you saw her."

"I appreciate beauty but unlike you, I wasn't rendered completely speechless!" Stefan taunted.

"Why are you doing this? Are you jealous?" Mon-el asked, his palms resting on the bed behind him and his head tilted questioningly.

"I don't do jealous, Mon-el! I just don't trust her yet and neither should you, she's a Kryptonian!" Stefan rested both his arms on Mon-el thighs.

"She was furious, but she'll come around and I'm sure, I will be able to convince her to turn these negotiations into a two-way street. Then we just have to get our spies on Krypton under the guise of diplomats. I can handle that much." He raised his hand to assure Stefan. "I'm not interested in her, not like that! I don't need another woman in my life who expects me to be something I'm not and is very vocally disappointed in me at the first opportunity that presents itself. My mother is already more than a handful." Mon-el shook his head; still wounded by the comparison she drew to him and his mother.

"Do you want a blowjob? You look like you need one…" Stefan offered casually.

"Sure," Mon-el shrugged his shoulders and Stefan started unbuttoning his pants.

"I met three gorgeous women today and I invited them to join us tonight, they will be here soon." Stefan said pulling down Mon-el's pants.

Mon-el groaned in frustration, "can't we just enjoy some alone time today? When did you even find the time to meet women during such a stressful day?"

"What can I say? I'm irresistible in armor," Stefan momentarily raised one of his shoulders, slipping his hand inside Mon-el's underwear. "This midlife crisis of yours is getting weird, first you were dreaming about running off another planet to start a new life and now you want alone time. What's next, get latched and have babies?" Stefan asked, wrapping his fingers around Mon-el's dick, dexterously stimulating it until it grew to an enormous size in his palm. Mon-el looked into his eyes, like he was considering it, "You are actually considering it, aren't you? Not having a marriage arranged for you at birth is the only advantage of being a bastard and I love every bit of my freedom! I am never getting latched or procreating, those little monsters will devour your soul! My swimmers are locked up for good."

"Mine aren't…" Mon-el teased, wiggling his eyebrows. When Stefan shook his head in disbelief, Mon-el quipped, "I thought you offered to give me a blowjob!" He slipped out of his underwear and pushed Stefan's head closer to where he needed him.

Once Mon-el was getting close, Stefan almost withdrew his lips from Mon-el's dick eliciting a groan in complaint. He just dropped a kiss on the tip and swirled his tongue over the top before he took him in deep and picked up his pace. As Mon-el experienced bliss for the first time that day, a steward quickly offered Stefan a napkin to wipe his mouth. Before Mon-el could gather his thoughts and protest, Stefan slipped out of his slacks and underwear and dragged Mon-el's pants all the way off his legs. He pulled Mon-el's red undershirt off, admiring the muscle he was packing underneath. Mon-el stood up, held Stefan's face between both his palms, consumed by a visceral need for intimacy. He kissed Stefan, sucking at his lips and exploring his mouth hungrily. Mon-el's hands maintained a strong grip over Stefan's hips, while Stefan ran his hands over Mon-el's broad muscular back, until one of his hands found its way to one of his perfect bubble butt cheek. "When will you shave that beard Mon?" Stefan taunted as soon as Mon-el withdrew from the kiss.

"Try never," he laughed, "just because I love your beautiful face perfectly smooth, doesn't mean I want that for myself Stef!"

Stefan moved his index finger in a circle, "Turn around," and slapped Mon's butt when he did. "Lube!" Stefan demanded and stretched out his hand. Mon-el leaned over and grabbed the edge of the bed with both his hands in anticipation. One handmaiden offered him a condom that he enveloped his length with, while another squirted some lube onto his palm, which he used to lubricate his sheathed penis. He extended his hand for more and both the handmaidens quickly retired as soon as he had enough to prepare Mon-el. Stefan held both his hips and swiftly slipped in, they both grunted, no amount of lube was ever enough to prepare for Stefan's thick entry. He waited for Mon-el to adjust to his length before he gan to slowly massage Mon-el's prostrate perfectly. When his lover was finally moaning with pleasure, Stefan added some vigor to his thrusts.

Clutching the silk sheets and supporting his bodyweight with just one hand, Mon-el let go of the other to stroke his penis and as he closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes, he saw a beautiful raven haired woman with ice blue eyes lying on her side next to him.

"Allow me, Your Highness," escaped sensually from her cherry lips, as she wrapped her fingers, with long painted red nails, around is his enormous length. She wore a gown red as lust, which was generously cut up to her hip, hinting at the lack of underwear. Her large breasts barely covered but perfectly cupped by the fabric that hugged her curves delightfully.

So lost in the sensation of Stefan inside of him and this hypnotic goddess stroking him salaciously, he didn't even notice when two more joined the party. He turned his head when their laughter grew too hard to miss and he momentarily noticed two women kissing and running their hands all over Stefan's body. The one he saw properly was a blonde with short curls wearing a sheer peach negligee that left absolutely nothing to the imagination. Turning his attention back to the woman who quite literally had him by the balls, he noticed she was now lying on her back right underneath him. "What's your name, beautiful?"

"Lena," she answered as she pulled Mon-el in for a kiss and Stefan quickly adjusted to Mon-el's new position, dropping a few kisses on his upper back. She tasted like cherries, Mon-el thought as his hand moved on its own accord, quickly making its way to her cleavage. He dipped his fingers in to pinch her nipple and as she moaned against his lips, he grabbed her breast in his palm, playing with it to match the rhythm of their tongues. A handmaiden placed a condom in her extended hand, which Lena quickly rolled over Mon-el's length.

As soon as Mon-el registered the sensation, he abandoned her lips, drawing a soft moan from her. He stretched out his arm that was resting on the mattress and went back to the position he was in when he first saw her, to create some distance between them and get a better look at her. Stefan rose with him and slapped Mon-el's perfect butt in encouragement. Mon-el tilted his head in question as he gazed into Lena's eyes with bit of a challenge. She seductively raised an eyebrow in response, throwing the leg exposed by the slit over his shoulder. She was still wearing her pumps. _Could this woman get any more irresistible_? Mon-el thought as he held her ankle with his free hand. He dropped a small kiss on her leg and then entered her, while Stefan was still thrusting into him from behind.

The other two women had moved over to the other end of the bed, lying in a sea of the countless pillows and cushions. The blonde woman with short curls had the most innocent and angelic face with deep blue eyes, Stefan remembered her name, Caroline. She was the one who walked up to him at the court when Mon-el was busy vetting Kara and convincing his mother for the peace talks. Caroline and her friends were the Queen's guests at the palace. They had been in the Capital for a few days on official business and she was very upfront about trying to approach him on several occasions. She introduced herself so confidently with a hint of faux seduction, trying her best to hide how nervous she really was to make a move on him. She barely allowed him to answer before she basically organized and invited herself to this orgy. Stefan found her little monologue very endearing, what an interesting contrast to this bold unabashed goddess, her peach sheer dress just bunched to her abdomen so seductively now.

"Don't stop… I'm so close Bon-bon…." Caroline demanded her friend in a short white tube dress, who was holding her from behind. Bon kissed her neck, grabbing one of her breasts from underneath and fingering her with her other hand, Bon's gold bangles chiming and perfectly blending with the sound of Caroline's wetness and moans.

"I got you Care," Bon assured. Caroline was putty in her hands, moaning and grasping for air. Her face turned red, changing in the most adorable way possible and as she built towards her climax, as did Stefan. Stefan slowed down his thrusts as he came inside Mon-el with a very audible grunt. Mon-el slowed his thrusts with Lena to match Stefan's rhythm and ran a hand over his behind to soothe him as he fell apart. Stefan bent over and nibbled at Mon-el's ear before he pulled out and disposed of his condom into the tiny bin a steward offered him.

Momentarily finished with Mon-el, Stefan walked to Caroline with conviction, lying in front of her. She was in a state of total euphoria when Stefan ran his fingers through the gold silk of hair, before capturing her lips with his and swallowing her moans. Unattended by her friend, one lone breast begged for attention, and so Stefan, unwilling to let this call go unheeded, palmed the breast lustfully. Bon-bon peeked through her hair, their green eyes meeting and she smiled at him as Caroline fell apart sandwiched between them.

Mon-el held Lena close, one hand cradling her head, gently massaging her scalp and another desperately clutching one of her breasts, which was now free from the shackles of her dress. The straps of her dress hung halfway down her arms as Mon-el's lips kissed their way down from her neck to her other breast. Sucking on her nipple, and gently moving inside of her, he was so close to his release and so was she. He raised his head to look at her face as her moans grew more passionate and that's when he saw the fifth member of their orgy for the first time.

Clutching onto the side of the bed, stacks of gold bangles resting against both her wrists, long brunette curls hanging off the edge of the bed as she arched her back. Her perfect caramel skin glistened as a bead of sweat tricked down her breast, all the way to those chocolaty nipples. Her spine curved perfectly as her body writhed with pleasure, her full hips digging into the mattress, as Caroline maintained a stranglehold on her thighs as Caroline ate this beautiful, mysterious woman out to a state of nirvana. Stefan kissed his way down Caroline's back as he spread her legs apart and pleasured her with his fingers. Mon-el could feel Lena's muscles contract around his dick, he knew she was close and he could let go as well. In that moment, the mysterious woman turned and looked straight at him. She had the most perfect heart shaped face and her fierce green eyes looked straight into his, as if commanding him to give in. There was something about those eyes that made him so weak and in that moment, all three of them closed their eyes and climaxed at the same time; Mon-el, Lena and the mysterious beauty.

Stefan leaned against the headboard and pulled Caroline into his lap immediately, he was hard again and he had an urgent desire to have her. She stretched her hand and snapped her fingers without breaking eye contact with Stefan. A handmaiden offered a condom in short order which Caroline quickly rolled over Stefan's erection. Digging his fingers into both her hips, he positioned her over the tip of his penis and slowly pulled her down until he was buried to the hilt. As she moaned, thrusting her chest forward, her stiff, pink nipples pleading for intimacy tormented him until he was forced to suck the needy temptation into his mouth. Caroline clasped onto the back of Stefan's head with one hand, running her fingers through his hair and wrapped her other arm around his back for leverage as she rode is dick. Relishing the moment, she whispered into his ear, "I've wanted to do this since the moment I laid eyes upon you." Stefan smiled, breathing her in, overwhelmed by her sweet confession.

"What's your name?" Mon-el asked the mysterious woman as he rolled over onto the mattress, resting on his side, beside Lena who was still recovering, disposing of his condom in the small bin a handmaiden offered.

"Bon-bon," she smiled, her gaze dropping as she registered the moment they just shared.

"Bon-bon," he mimicked, relishing how it rolled off his tongue and smiled devilishly thinking of how badly he wanted to taste her. "I'm Mon-el," he introduced himself.

"I know," she laughed and he pulled her towards him by her leg eliciting the most musical squeal from her in response. She laughed until he pushed himself up and closed the distance between them, his lips just a hair's distance away from his. Bon-bon's heart raced and she released a breath she didn't know she had been holding when Mon-el kissed her. Sparks flew, almost electric, as if he was siphoning the magic that was dancing upon her luscious lips.

Mon-el kissed his way to Bon-bon's breasts, which he wanted to taste so badly, when Lena popped into their little bubble.

"Mind if I join in?" she asked, her dress finally gone for good.

They both shrugged their shoulders and echoed unanimously, "The more the merrier, that's the Daxamite way!" And all three of them laughed as Lena and Bon-Bon became acquainted with each other's bodies. They ended up spread across the giant bed, Mon-el eating Bon-bon out this time. Lena sat on Bon's face, playing with her own breasts, while she enjoyed Bon's dexterous tongue working its magic over her tiny bundle of nerves. As soon as Mon-el was hard again, a steward offered him a condom.

"Turn over Bon!" he commanded as he slapped her butt. Bon turned Lena over, so that she was resting on her back, pumping two fingers inside her while teasing her clit with the tip of her tongue… Mon-el grabbed her hips and entered her urgently, the sound of his pelvis slapping against her perfect butt, music to his ears.

All five of them lay stark naked and exhausted on the bed, limbs entangled, sweat dripping, taking pleasure in their afterglow. Mon-el's butler interrupted them soon after, "Refreshments?" The stewards carried trays full of the snacks and drinks Mon-el and Stefan usually enjoyed after a night of passion, especially a long one such as this.

"Thank the gods! I was famished…" Lena sighed as she got up, everyone slowly crawling out of the sex bubble as well.

Stefan kissed Mon-el chastely on the lips… "See! Didn't you enjoy celebrating like the good old days, before the latching and the doom and gloom, a lot more than a quiet intimate night between the two of us?"

"Yes I did," he smiled and kissed Stefan's cheek before he grabbed more Zakarian Ale and sugary treats to ride out these fleeting moments of joy before the sun comes up and reality sets back in.


	6. Chapter 6

**The Oasis**

Kara was having a really good morning. After a long and tedious night of negotiating with the Kryptonian Council—well mostly it was just the general versus everyone else—she finally had her first win as a peacemaker. She would have feared for her safety considering the shouting tournament she had with the General last night but joining the Council as a hologram had its advantages. Relentlessly, she didn't bend, she didn't break, she didn't stand down for anyone, and as Krypton declared a ceasefire and Daxam quickly followed suit, she created history. The Queen even granted the Kryptonian Emissary's formal release but when Kara visited him, he refused to move out of the east wing until there was an official peace treaty in place. Apparently he trusted Mon-el with his life more than anyone else on Daxam. This revelation only piled more guilt onto the mountain of it under which Kara was buried for chastising him. He too was trying to navigate his way through a crisis to the best of his abilities, and Kara was now determined to make peace with him, just as their planets had.

The crimson rays made their way through the giant window, creeping across the giant pile of books scattered on the floor to, finally, shed light on Lena's bare back. Sleeping peacefully, she clung onto the edge of the bed, a beige silk sheet barely covering her hips.

Right in the middle of the bed, Mon-el and Bon-bon were spooning harmoniously. One of his hands massaged her scalp while the other explored her curves. "That's indeed a good morning Bon-bon," he whispered in her ear and dropped a kiss on her cheek as she chuckled. Stefan was sound asleep not far from Mon-el, Caroline resting her head over his chest.

Sparing no attention for the intimate gathering, the butler announced, "Diplomat Zor-el wants to have a word with His Royal Highness, she is waiting in the parlor."

"I need to take a quick shower, can you wake them all for breakfast, Bon?" he slipped out of bed when she nodded in acknowledgement.

Mon-el sauntered in with a smile on his face, dressed in a pastel blue suit with an exposed closed neck white shirt underneath. He was surprised to see Kara in Daxamite attire, a yellow gown with a flowing skirt, just barely covering her upper body, fabric held together with delicate gold body chains over exposed skin. He found her standing next to his favorite book shelf, immersed in a book, her eyebrows furrowed in anger. He sneaked up behind her and smirked when he discovered what she was reading, "That's an excellent read, a very detailed account of the last war between Daxam and Krypton. In my experience, history is usually biased towards whoever documents it so I would recommend you read it with an open mind while maintaining some rational skepticism. Somewhere between what you were taught on Krypton and what you learn here, lies the reality." Kara smiled and spun around, slamming the book shut. Mon-el rests a hand over the shelf, "Just don't let the existence of a different narrative infuriate you, Diplomat Zor-el."

Kara noted that they weren't on first name basis anymore and her smile disappeared for a moment, "May I borrow this, Your Highness?" She noted that he didn't instantly correct her like he did yesterday.

"You can borrow as many books as you want," he seized the one she was holding, their fingers brushing for an instant and handed it over to a handmaiden, "Could you please drop this over at the Diplomat's personal chambers?" he nodded and so did the handmaiden before she retired.

"I didn't expect your room to look like this," she took in her surroundings intrigued by the countless bookshelves, the art and trinkets from other planets. "It's fascinating!"

Mon-el graciously accepted the back-handed compliment, "Understandable… Kryptonian tabloids do paint me as bit of a buffoon," he smiled.

Kara liked how happy he seemed compared to yesterday, he looked handsome wearing that charmingly boyish grin, "I have good news for you, Krypton declared a ceasefire and Daxam followed suit as the Queen promised. She even granted the release of the Kryptonian Emissary," Kara stood tall as she declared her first win.

"I heard," Mon-el respectfully concurred, "Congratulations on your first win, Diplomat Zor-el. I believed you from the start, but you surpassed all expectations and created history by accomplishing it in less than a day's time."

"I couldn't have done it without you," she beamed as she caught a glimpse of how plump his lips were this morning. "A-actually I-I wanted to apologize for the way we left things yesterday," her gaze dropped as she pressed her lips together. "I shouldn't have said the things I did. It's just that I was new to this world, there was a war brewing, I didn't know who to trust, and the security detail was too large…" she prattled on until he raised his hand to cut the excruciatingly awkward apology short.

"Its fine, Kara," he shook his head and Kara was just delighted that they were back on first name basis, "I understand! There's no need for an apology…" he looked away and awkwardly ran a hand through his beard.

Looking back at Kara, Mon-el noticed she seemed like someone who had just seen a ghost. Turning around, he discovered the reason for shock. Lena strolled towards them in her wrinkled red dress, holding her heels in one hand, sporting messy hair and bit of a nip slip. Mon-el fixed her dress as she leaned in to kiss his cheek.

"See you at breakfast?" she raised an eyebrow and Mon-el smiled in response. She winked at a speechless Kara, whose discomfort seemed almost foreign.

When Kara could finally attempt to form words again, two more women in negligees walked out of Mon-el's bed chambers holding hands and giggling. Just when Kara thought this situation couldn't get any more awkward, a shirtless Stefan walked right out behind them, running one hand through his messy hair and another pulling up his pants, perched precariously on his hips. All of them proudly marched outside, Stefan laughing as he noticed Kara's jaw drop.

Mon-el gently closed her mouth with his index finger under her chin as he flashed an endearing smile. "I'm sorry… it was culturally insensitive of me to let a Kryptonian witness that," he laughed, uncomfortably.

Kara raised both her hands in defense, "N-No! It's good…g-great…healthy…you know…." She peeped into the bed chambers and observed that it was fully staffed, which only made her head spin a little more. Kara wasn't an inexperienced prude, but this was a bit much compared to the definition of normal on Krypton. "Your room is fully staffed!" her confused eyes darted between Mon-el and her view of his bedroom.

"It always is," he stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

What bothered Kara most was the fact that the hint of jealousy she felt yesterday was bubbling with vigor now and she felt something new and uncomfortable, a touch of possessiveness. Taking a deep breath, she collected her thoughts; she should not be feeling any of it. The only relationship she wanted to cultivate with him was a professional one.

Mon-el sensed Kara's discomfort, "I wanted to discuss something with you. Would you take a walk with me to the dining room, for breakfast?" he sincerely offered, extending his elbow so that she could entangle her arm in his.

"Now that there is a ceasefire, I wanted to send a few diplomats of our own to Krypton. It would help facilitate dialogue for the upcoming peace treaty and they could inspect the damage caused to the Daxamite Embassy as well," Mon-el softly suggested as they exited his suite, into the East Wing corridor.

Kara nodded in agreement, "I would talk to the council about also extending them the courtesy to talk to the investigators regarding whatever doubts Daxam might have about the bombings." Mon-el's smile grew exponentially, this was easier than he expected.

One of Mon-el's handmaidens exited from Kara's suite, "Hope you enjoy the book, I left it on your nightstand." Kara was suddenly consumed by guilt for taking advantage of a server for something she could have done herself.

"What planet are you from?" she asked remorsefully, with kind apologetic eyes.

"Daxam," the handmaiden replied, almost offended by the subtext of that question and quickly walked away.

"There are no slaves in the East Wing, Kara," Mon-el courteously clarified.

"I thought most noble families on Daxam who had domestic help bought them from Slaver's Moon." She asked tilted her head trying to gain more insight into this development, "How is your wing so efficiently staffed then?"

"Working in the hospitality industry is not so bad, especially with the workload of catering to just one client. Living in a palace and making a handsome income is not such a bad bargain." He led her arm in arm, as they continued strolling through the wing that suddenly became a lot more interesting for Kara.

"Why is this limited to a single wing?" she probed.

"Kara, there are many things on Daxam with which I do not agree," he gazed into her eyes, hoping that she tries to understand him. "I know that my position as the Prince of Daxam, exudes a certain illusion of power, but there are limitations to the role I can play politically until I become King." Briefly he ran his palm over her arm, which was tucked into his. "I know I haven't done much. I most definitely lacked the conviction to do anything at all for most of my years, but the least I could do in recent years, was to ensure that my wing wasn't staffed by slaves. So I convinced my mother that I wish to handpick the people from Daxam, whom I trust to serve me."

Kara felt like she might have just stumbled on an opportunity to forge a close personal alliance with the future King, who might be more open to change than his predecessors. "I noticed how good you are at convincing your mother of things she would otherwise never agree to, why don't you convince her to abolish slavery?" she asked with conviction.

Mon-el laughed robustly, "I can convince her to do something she is already considering but is holding back on for the sake of her ego or her need to appear strong and powerful at all times or I can convince her of something she considers insignificant in the larger scheme of things, but I cannot change her beliefs. She is set in her ways and she's smart enough to know when someone is trying to sway her away from her comfort zone. It almost always ends tragically for that person," he steered the pair of them to a corridor she had not explored before.

Kara took a good look at him before she decided to press further, "If you don't mind me asking, do you plan on abolishing slavery when you ascend to the throne?"

"It would be a good place to start, though signing a piece of paper of paper and making a declaration wouldn't accomplish much," he said shrugging his shoulders.

"How can you say that? It changes everything!" Kara retorted letting go of his arm, she was fuming and she didn't for diplomatic etiquette anymore.

"The noble families wouldn't just give up their domestic help; they would probably just release them legally, while keeping them on minimal wage. Society doesn't immediately respond to the law!" He said softly, still trying to maintain some diplomacy and carefully measure the information he discloses.

"Why would they stay with their oppressors when they can leave?" she threw her hands up in the air, she was at the end of her rope with these archaic issues.

"Slavery is a complex issue and abolishing it is only the first step in a larger journey. These are aliens on an isolationist planet like Daxam, some of them look like Daxamites but some of them clearly look foreign. Also, escaping one's comfort zone, no matter how toxic that situation might be, isn't easy for anyone. Assimilating them back into society will be a mammoth task, which might take longer than my lifetime. Generations even! And I'll have less control over it after my death, than I have now," he stated as he continued walking, his hands clasped behind him.

"Why can't you just send them back to their home planets?" she asked innocently.

"Because unbelievable as it sounds, a lot of them consider Daxam their home now. Some of them do not have surviving planets to which they can return and some don't even know from where they came," Turning to look in her eyes, he said, "Stefan's mother was a slave. He has never even visited the planet she was from, and he isn't close to his father, but he considers himself a Daxamite in every way. Ever since he was a child, he embraced the fact that he was a bastard and the fact that he was different, as a badge of honor. Fueled by his ambition, he quickly rose through the ranks and is now one of the most powerful people on Daxam," Mon-el revealed with passion and pride. He talked about Stefan with the same protectiveness that Stefan displayed earlier in regards to him.

"Stefan is the Commander of your armed forces, practically wielding more power than the Queen, and he could free people like himself with a coup. What was the point of rising to the top, if he doesn't plan on doing anything with it?" Kara thought out loud, instantly regretting what she said.

Mon-el smirked, "Stefan is an honorable, loyal and patient man. He is loved by the people of Daxam, not just because he's our best warrior, but because his virtues and intelligence are admired by all."

"I shouldn't have said that," Kara shook her head, "I'm just very passionate about my beliefs… I have nothing but respect for the Queen."

"Come on, Kara! We can talk freely," Mon-el snickered. "It actually reminded me of my wife. She, too, was very passionate about her beliefs and patience was definitely not her strong suit. She made a similar proposal to the last Commander once."

"Oh, I assumed Stefan was your husband…." Kara couldn't keep track of this man's love life anymore.

"No, Stefan does not believe in latching, but he has been my closest friend since childhood." Mon-el slowed down as they approached a beautifully carved giant wooden door.

As the guards pushed the door open, Kara's feet moved of their own accord, her eyes hypnotized by wonders hidden behind the door. At first sight, it was beautiful forest, with a lake and a waterfall, but it was bound by the corridors of the palace on all sides. How did this wonderland even exist in the middle of a desert? Kara had seen forests this beautiful on other planets but she had no idea Daxam could sustain such lush greenery. Closing her eyes, she drew pleasure in the fresh dewy smell of forest that filled her lungs. She noticed the sound of birds and she immediately turned around to look at Mon-el who was vicariously, through her, experiencing how it felt to walk into this room for the first time. "You have birds on Daxam? We don't have birds on Krypton!" she asked like a kid in a candy store.

"We don't have birds on Daxam either, it's just sound effect." He pointed at the glass roof, partially obscured by some of the trees which were as tall as the structure. "This is just a controlled environment situated in the center of the pyramid, which was first built for research. But it quickly became my favorite part of the palace, so I might have gone a bit overboard with my love for lush greenery. This room is called _The Oasis_ ," running a hand over the back of his head, he grinned like a boy showing off his favorite toy.

"Can we eat breakfast here instead of the dining room?" Kara was in no mood to eat with the Queen and all of Mon-el's lovers from last night. She just wanted to stay here in this beautiful bubble. Mon-el requested the guards to setup a table for them and they soon left to make the arrangements.

Hiking her way to the bridge over the lake, Kara looked behind and said, "Now it's my favorite part of the palace as well. Don't you grow flowers in here?"

"What are flowers?" he inquired.

"Oh they are so vibrant and colorful and they have these unique fragrances. Vegetation on certain planets uses them to reproduce," she explained, beaming with excitement as she made her way to the top of the bridge.

"But these are genetically modified and their development is controlled by our scientists. If they start reproducing on their own, that'll be an epidemic," he asked curiously, not understanding why they needed these flowers.

"Oh we have flowers on Krypton that don't reproduce on their own!" she stated, tucking a loose strand behind her hair as she turned back to look at him.

"Then why create them? I don't understand…" he threw his hands up in frustration.

"For the same reason you love this room, because they are more beautiful than anything in here," she declared in a dreamily, raising her fist to her heart.

She clutched to the railing, admiring the waterfall in front of her, "I know this isn't real but all of this breathtaking, isn't it?" she asked, as she looked around the room.

"It is… very beautiful." He gripped the railing as he looked at her, letting out a breath he held for far too long.

"So now that we are talking freely, what's your stance on monarchy? Just curious…" she asked, hanging back and, balancing her weight against the railing.

She looked at him with those eyes that forced him to open up against his better judgment. He turned toward the waterfall, forcing himself to look away from those eyes, "Urgh! Not a huge a huge fan of the fact that I was born into this position, and the fact that anything about my life that isn't a move towards fulfilling some political goal makes me selfish. It's a double edged sword," he threw a hand up in the air.

"So do you prefer having a Council over a single monarch like on Krypton?" she prodded.

He chucked, "With all due respect… Krypton's political structure isn't perfect either." Mon-el shook his head, carefully gauging her features to make sure he doesn't overstep. "The caste system dividing people based on their place in society and genetically engineering children in the birthing matrix, training them to take up predetermined roles when they grow up, including the members of the Council that are limited to a few houses; was the very reason the founding fathers of Daxam fought for freedom from Krypton. Our birthing matrix is merely a replacement for the womb, allowing it to dictate society gives too much power to whoever controls the matrix. Going back to that system would go against everything Daxam stands for," he affirmed.

"It has made Krypton more efficient and productive as a society," she struck back.

"On Daxam, we value happiness over efficiency. We might not have the most productive population and we might be infamous for our hedonism, but when I despise being born into a sealed fate with a birthright and duties, how can I subject my people to a life without choices?" he countered, turning his entire body to face her, his forearm resting on the railing.

"Don't tell me you believe in democracy!" she quipped.

"I have visited a few planets that have long and drawn out circuses to display candidates who brainwash people with false promises, fear mongering, polarization and hate for whatever the other person stands for. It's quite interesting to watch such emotional exploitation of all mortal weaknesses of the general population. Almost always the leadership ends up being what's worse for people and no one delivers on their promises, they just use all their resources to gear up for the next circus. The cycle of madness continues. I'm all for distribution of power but even I'm not naïve enough to believe in democracy," he shook his head in disbelief.

"Then how do you plan to accomplish distribution of power?" she pouted.

"We are not close enough for me to start spilling my diabolical master plan for giving up world domination," he quipped with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, "but if I have to put it vaguely, we do have the technological means to collect people's input on major decisions, to ensure that everyone's voice is heard, and to make sure that the changes I wish to make don't just revert back after my death. The power could spread so thin that no one would wield enough to be consumed by it, reducing monarchs to mere symbols. Have due process in place to protect justice and equality, giving people the power to challenge the status quo when someone tries to shift the scales." Mon-el carefully measured his words.

"Why not completely do away with obsolete systems like monarchy altogether?" she asked, with a hint of irritation.

"Every society evolves organically and almost everyone hates sudden change. It takes time to lay the groundwork on all fronts to instigate change long before it is proposed, to develop a support system and establish a step-by-step plan to be employed when there is the right opportunity to act. Similarly, monarchy too will fade away but every society needs time to evolve at its own pace. Maintaining civilization and order is hard, sudden movies lead to chaos and anarchy," Mon-el stressed.

"You say that like all rebellions and uprisings throughout history were futile, Daxam itself was born from rebellion. In some situations chaos and anarchy are more efficient than diplomacy and politics, when the goal is radically different than the current situation!" She was fed up with plans of slow but incremental change that older people throughout the galaxy loved to preach and it was getting harder for her to suppress her disgust for Daxam's outdated ways.

Mon-el backed up, an ugly pause hanging between them, "Like I said, maintaining civilization is a delicate balance. It is instinct for society to fall back to violent ways given the opportunity and it takes generations to heal from such slips. You're a diplomat, you can't possibly believe in the brutish notion that war or conflict could possibly lead to something constructive."

"Didn't you mention that your wife once made a proposal to the previous Commander about staging a coup?" Kara blinked more rapidly than usual; she couldn't understand this dissonance between the future King and Queen's approach.

"I guess you failed to notice my usage of past tense, my late wife Katherine was indeed a very heroic and courageous woman who held strong beliefs and fought for what she believed in. She rebelled against the throne but my mother is more unforgiving than she is ruthless about holding onto power. Katherine was charged with treason and executed on the Queen's orders. I loved her dearly and she was my partner in every way, but this one disagreement we had in our approach only magnified after her death," his gaze dropped. "The previous Commander soon followed her to the grave, that's how Stefan got the promotion." Mon-el looked up at her sporting a half smile draped in melancholy, his eyes jaded and withdrawn.

Kara could instantly feel the gut-wrenching pain, he was failed to hide. Her ice blue eyes melted as she tenderly ran her hand over his back, "I'm sorry for your loss. Katherine deserved better…" she almost whispered.

"That's a fate that most heroes share, executed for their desire to drastically change society long before it's ready. They might end up inspiring many through their sacrifice and serve as a symbol of change but if no one shoulders the burden to finish what they started through the non-glamorous means of diplomacy and politics, then what they stood for is quickly forgotten," he grimly walked away, leaving Kara completely and utterly confused. He turned around when he realized she wasn't following him, "Our breakfast table is set, and the living must eat to keep fighting," Mon-el smiled as if that heartbreaking confession never happened, suppressing emotions at a rate that only a Daxamite could.


	7. Chapter 7

**Takes Two To Tango**

After breakfast, Kara walked into her room humming, ready to catch up on her reading material, when she noticed an invitation from the Queen accompanied with a large gift box. The great royal family of Daxam never wasted a good opportunity to throw a party and a ceasefire deserved a ball. Kara was surprised that the invitation was for the same night, but then again, Daxamites did nothing more efficiently than organize parties. She opened the box to uncover a little black dress, the top put together with straps and strategically placed bits of cloth, with an asymmetrical layered chiffon skirt, teasingly short in the front and falling to her feet at the back. She was getting accustomed to daxamite attire but she found it a bit much for her taste. When she held it and saw her reflection in the mirror, she found the idea of wearing it secretly titillating.

Later, that evening… Stefan played casually with his favorite dagger while Mon-el sampled the feast, the pair of them regally dressed in matching closed-neck black Daxamite suits. "Can you put that dangerous antique away? I prefer your fingers attached to your hand," Mon-el requested, eyeing him judgmentally.

"I don't tell you to put down whatever book you are obsessed with at the moment just because I prefer your eyes on me!" Stefan tucked the beautifully carved blade into its equally exquisite sheath, hanging on his hip.

"Yes, you usually just toss it to the side whenever you want attention!" Mon-el retorted, grabbing two goblets of Zakarian Ale from a server.

Clinking glasses, Stefan noted, "Hey your future wife is here!"

"For Rao's sake, can you stop joking about Kara?" Mon-el begged, shaking his head in disappointment.

Stefan raised his eyebrows before taking a swig at his drink, "I was referring to the swarm of women who consider your mother a role model," Stefan pointed his goblet in their general direction, "but it's interesting that your mind went straight to Kara," he smiled mischievously.

Kara walked into the ballroom, her hair up in a bun, uncomfortably pulling at her dress. The moment she felt slightly comfortable with the length of her dress, she noticed how generously the neckline was cut and immediately pulled her dress back up. There was not a single person in that room who felt less at home in their own skin.

Mon-el caught a glimpse of her struggle while chatting up Stefan and he couldn't help but smile at how endearing it was. She was a vision in that dress but it was clearly his mother's way of torturing a newly minted Kryptonian diplomat with kindness. He made a mental note to make sure she has access to clothes she might find appropriate.

Kara was definitely impressed by the feast that was put together at such short notice. Belly dancers were fluidly undulating and shimmying in the center of the room. Couples danced gracefully around them and people feasted and drank on the sidelines. She quickly spotted Mon-el and Stefan in a corner close by.

Kara walked up to Stefan and Mon-el, beaming, "I thought the two of you would be stealing the spotlight on the dance floor right about now."

"I don't… dance…." Stefan grumbled. Eyeing her head to toe, "You look stunning in that dress, by the way," Stefan smirked before slowly sipping his ale.

Kara's smile stretched ear to ear. Did Stefan just compliment her? That was a much unexpected first and it was truly spectacular to witness him go from hellhound to puppy over the course of one day. Maybe puppy was a stretch for Stefan, Kara thought as she caught a glimpse of Mon-el's endearing smile. "Thank you. You look very handsome without armor as well," she nodded. "Actually both of you look very handsome tonight," she smiled at Mon-el.

"I wasn't in armor this morning either," he corrected, pointing her goblet at her.

Kara pressed her lips together, trying her best to repress that memory further, "I'll book a memory wiping session as soon as I get back to Krypton."

Stefan dramatically clenched his chest, "I would be hurt if I hadn't noticed your jaw drop earlier."

Mon-el stretched his arms between them, "I almost enjoyed you two getting along, momentarily. Let's take five on the sass contest before the positive development is reversed." The pair of them almost looked offended by Mon-el's insinuation when Mon-el offered his hand to Kara, "Dance with me…."

Kara offered him her hand in return, "I would love to." They proceeded to sway gracefully on the dance floor, hands clasped together while her other hand rested formally on his shoulder, and his on the small of her back. They soon noticed Stefan dancing with the blonde woman Kara saw walk out of Mon-el's bed chambers that morning, "Didn't he just say that he doesn't dance?" she asked.

Mon-el circled her to take her place and get a good look at what she saw. He laughed, "That's Caroline and she can accomplish anything she sets her mind to! Can you believe that she organized this wonderful party on such short notice? If she didn't have to leave town soon, I would hire her as our in-house event manager." He locked eyes with Kara, who was rolling hers, unimpressed. Kara quickly grabbed a snack from a passing server, "Anyway, Stefan wasn't lying. He truly despises dancing, but that woman," Mon-el took a good look at Stefan and Caroline and moved his gaze back to Kara who had her mouth full at the moment, "I'm pretty sure she's a dominatrix."

Kara instantly chocked on her food. Mon-el ran a hand over her almost bare back, caressing her smooth skin, as she recovered from her coughs, "Are you fine?" he inquired, grabbing a glass of water from the attendant who came rushing to her aid.

After clearing her throat, Kara took a deep breath and placed the empty glass on the tray, after which the attendant quickly departed. He flicked a loose strand of hair edging close to her eyes and eased her back into his arms. "You have one complicated love life, Mon-el of Daxam," she quipped, shaking her head in disbelief.

Mon-el tilted is head in confusion, "Complicated? It's as simple as it gets, if you can even call it a love life!"

Kara closed the distance between them and wrapped her arm on his shoulder, around his back, "What else would you call the lovers' march I witnessed this morning?" she whispered in his ear.

"The pursuit of physical pleasure with strangers, ships passing in the night," he casually shrugged his shoulders.

"I never really understood Daxam's casual objectification," she looked away, equal parts frustrated and intrigued.

"That's an arranged marriage culture for you, when most people's romantic futures are predetermined at birth, then anything that happens before the age of latching holds little to no meaning," there was a twinkle in his eyes, reminiscing of his own youth. "Rarely people like Stefan and I end up in a unique position of not having a mate, be it due to tragedy or the circumstances surrounding ones birth and seldom when they decide to latch, we throw parties in their honor." He looked at her with such soft eyes, letting out a breath, the hopeless romantic in him peeking through the façade.

"And you judge Krypton's system of choosing ones career in the birthing matrix," she retorted raising an eyebrow.

Mon-el smirked, "That's an excellent comeback. I guess this is Daxam's way of keeping things less messy and keeping our perfect balance of emotional numbness and hedonism intact just like Krypton seals its people's fate for efficiency." He dipped her gently and pulled her back closer, wrapping an arm, that was gently resting between her shoulder blades earlier, around the small of her back.

"Personally, I would never marry someone I don't love," she said placing a hand over his shoulder and the other reaching for his raised palm.

Mon-el entangled their fingers almost instinctively when her palm reached out to his, "You make it sound so bad. I loved the fact that when I began courting Katherine before marriage, I knew that we belonged together forever and my love for her only grew with every passing day." His gaze grew distant as he recalled the first time he danced with Katherine in this very ballroom as man and wife. "People in arranged marriages do find love almost as frequently as people who marry for love, fall out of it."

"But why does it always have to be about getting latched? You and Stefan have something special and even if he doesn't believe in getting latched, it doesn't point towards the lack of a love life. You two are dating, as casual or open the relationship may be." She _stressed_ with such adorable conviction.

"What do you mean by dating?" Mon-el shook his head in confusion.

Kara's feet stopped abruptly as she collected her thoughts, "On Krypton, dating is like courtship on Daxam, without an assurance of marriage but to get acquainted with a potential mate. It is usually monogamous but occasionally people have a much more casual dynamic, like you and Stefan." Taking the lead this time, she moved gracefully as Mon-el focused on nothing but her words, "Sometimes people decide that they will never get latched, like you two, but mostly they just wait to see if it leads to a deeper commitment. If one or both come to the conclusion that they aren't a good match, they fall apart and move on to someone else."

"Is there a set timeline for the courtship period?" he inquired.

"No! Some people get latched in a few months, some fall apart after years of dating," she said wrapping both her hands around his neck, as he held her waist with his.

"That seems rather cruel, to dangle the promise of forever in front of a person for an uncertain amount of time, while holding the power to crush their heart at any given moment. And how does anyone even decide if they've found their mate or not?" he looked at her like a hopeless lost puppy.

"It's not cruel, it's exhilarating!" She beamed letting out a dreamy breath, "Speaking from personal experience, there comes a moment when you realize that no matter how drawn you felt to the person, you two are just not meant for each other," her gaze fell in despair. "But I've heard from people that when it's meant to be, there comes a moment of clarity when you just know..." her eyes met his, "be it the first time you met or years down the line and it's absolutely magical."

There was something so warm and comforting about the idea, that all he could think about was how insanely blue her eyes grew to be as she talked of love, just like comets. He wasn't comfortable with this new assortment of emotions that he felt at the moment and his first instinct was to drown them in Zakarian ale to bury the discomfort in intoxication. There was something masochistic inside of him, that didn't want to swim back to the safe shallow waters, but to dive in and explore unchartered territories.

Thankfully the soft music slowly faded away and made way for an upbeat sensual number. Suddenly returned to his comfort zone, a wicked smile danced upon his lips.

"Urgh! I was dreading this the most," Kara whined.

Mon-el pumped his eyebrows, "Come on! What's the point of coming all the way to Daxam and attending a Daxamite party, if you don't even tango?" One of his palms abandoned her waist and he stretched it out or her to follow suit, "I can lead, but it takes two to tango," he winked.

Kara embraced the spirit of tango and slowly slithered her palm across his arm to join his palm, leaving goose bumps under his jacket of which she was completely unaware. His other hand slowly sneaked up her bare back; causing a mild shudder. In a quick dexterous move, he circled their upper bodies, slightly dipping her before he pulled her close with a jerk. She could feel his muscular abdomen crash against her and she dragged the nails of her free hand softly from his temple to his beard, which was surprisingly soft. They glided around the room with grace with perfectly timed kicks.

"You're a natural," Mon-el complimented as he let go of their joined hands and she gracefully plunged to the other side, her back arching over his forearm. With a slight push, her fingers clasped the side of his palm and they bent their knees, as their legs on the other side were smoothly sliding out together, until she was almost dropped to the ground. He towered over her, their hands raised up together, momentarily frozen in time, "That drop was too perfect for you to be dreading this at all!"

Embracing her inner hedonist, Kara's free hand found its way to the back of his neck as she rose, toying with the negligible hair length few inches above. "Oh I'm good at it, I just don't enjoy it as much," she lied, sensually drifting across the room with him.

Mon-el laughed, leaning back a little when Kara folded her leg and rest it over his thigh, her angle on his knee, stretching her other leg behind her for leverage, "Sure! It's pretty obvious how much you hate this," he teased. The palm resting on her back, slowly sliding over her rib cage, edging close to her breast as his arm wrapped around her back. Their lips were just touch of a hair away when her heart skipped a beat.

He moved back, creating some distance between them to cut the tension, he pulled her closer by their clasped hands until she was almost sitting on his thigh, his knee bent. The hand that was previously joined with hers was resting on her back, hers wrapped around his shoulder for support. Against her better judgment, her other hand moved on its own accord and held his face. His other hand slowly grazed over the leg that was slightly crossed over the other. She opened her eyes to gaze into his, as his hand gently swept up to her thigh. It was Kara's turn to fear her feelings, ranging from a visceral hunger for his hand to move further up to a deep vulnerability that the fragility in his eyes echoed in her.

His fingers dug into her thighs, too close to her hips as he pulled her back up. The leg he was holding onto wrapped around his waist instinctively as she gripped his back with both of her palms. His other hand slowly sneaked up on her back, leaving gooseflesh in its wake and she let out a ragged breath, an image suddenly popping into her head of her back against a wall, his hips grinding into hers. She shook her head instantly, reminded herself that the only relationship she wanted to cultivate with him was a professional one.

"Trust me?" he asked as both his arms quickly trailed up her sides and her arms, removing her palms that were clutching onto his back. Her leg, wrapped around his waist, begrudgingly found its way onto the floor when she nodded in agreement and stepped away. His hands slid down to her waist again and he swiftly picked her up like she was weightless and raised her over his head. Kara stretched out her hands and legs to strike the perfect pose. As he lowered her, she wrapped one of her legs over his back, her knee locking over his shoulder, until she was almost perched there. He rotated and Kara raised her hands up in the air as they moved magnificently. He held onto her waist tightly when he stopped to expertly dip her, Kara hung upside down, her knee firmly locked over his shoulder.

So much for her plans to cultivate just a professional relationship. At this point she was consumed by a very primal hunger for his mouth between her legs and he could almost smell her arousal. She let her hands fall freely and closed her eyes to block everything out. In that moment, there was complete and utter silence in the room and the only sensation that existed was his hands on her and her body against his.

He lifted her back up and she released the leg locked over his shoulder. He slowly pulled her down and it felt as if they were the only two people in the room, she held his face tenderly with one hand and her other palm hovered over his rock hard chest, which suddenly flexed underneath her palm. Smiling, Kara allowed herself to breathe in the intoxicating smell of his cologne for the first time that night, when he bit his lower lip in response. She noticed how it came out plump, colored and wet when he released his lip, she moved her gaze up to look into his confused eyes as she inched closer to the lips she was too thirsty to drink in.

The music stopped abruptly as Queen Rhea took to the stage to address her guests. Mon-el and Kara clumsily moved apart, so cruelly ripped from the paradise that was their little bubble. The silence between them was deafening as they eyed each other awkwardly. Kara tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear and looked away to listen to the Queen's speech.

Mon-el shook his head; there was no way that Kara almost kissed him. It was definitely the theatrics of the dance.

Mon-el noticed Stefan nodding his head in the direction of the exit, "Please excuse me… I have some urgent business to attend to…" Mon-el quickly walked out of the hall, his Jade Jaguar statue falling out of his pocket and at Kara's feet as he left.

Kara had never seen anything like it, the substance looked it was from another world. It was the shape of the object that she was taken aback by, she had never quite seen anything like it. She quickly picked it up, but just as she decided to follow Mon-el to return it to him she heard the Queen call out her name.

"Diplomat Zor-El… Kara… There you are! I would especially like to thank you for negotiating the ceasefire, a great first step in establishing peace between Daxam and Krypton," she laughed. "Let me not get ahead of myself; let's see how diplomatic Krypton's current General is…" Kara zoned out and politely smiled. She tried to leave but she was caught up with dinner, diplomatic duties and a follow-up conversation with the Queen laced with back-handed compliments and prejudicial remarks about Krypton, as if she was specifically searching was Kara's threshold. Thankfully, Kara was too happy and distracted by untamed thoughts of Mon-el.

A few hours later, when she finally had the opportunity, she sneaked away from the party. She had to return the tiny green statue to Mon-el and ask him what it was and where it came from. Mostly, it was a convenient excuse for her to visit his chambers. She hoped he didn't have company tonight because she really needed to talk to him about what just happened between them. Haunted by doubt, she walked through the east wing, observing that other than the guards at the entrance, there were no guards in the wing. She walked past her suite to get to the end of the corridor to Mon-el's room, when she noticed that the door to the hall right before Mon-el's was slightly ajar. Peeking inside, Kara noticed a mostly empty circular room occupied by hooded figures, Stefan and Mon-el in the center addressing them and a hologram between the two of them, a beautiful woman with brunette curls.

Kara's mind was on overdrive but she still couldn't come up with any rational explanation for this gathering. The more she thought about it, the more questions surfaced, with no answers to be found. She quickly pressed a button on her pendant to click a picture and quickly moved away to back up against the wall beside the door. Resting one hand over her heart, in an effort to calm herself, she absentmindedly rubbed her fingers over Mon-el's mysterious little green statue. Kara had her work cut out for her tonight; she was going to get to the bottom of this.


	8. Chapter 8

**Jade Jaguar**

Kara restlessly paced around her suite in her night-robe after she requested all the guards to leave, on the pretence that she had confidential diplomatic business to attend to. She had many questions but she didn't know if she wanted them answered. Morally and diplomatically, this was a grey area; she was a diplomat and not a spy, after all. She rationalized it just satisfying personal curiosity about something that she accidentally stumbled upon. Since almost kissing the prince a few hours ago, her mind deserved to catch up with her heart, to keep from making a mistake.

Kara approached the round table that was the centerpiece of her sitting area. Clutching the back of a chair and leaning, consumed by frustration, Kara closed her eyes, remembering that Mon-el sat in this very chair when she first arrived. Kara's lips stretched to smile, on their own accord. There was something so sincere about him that she trusted him, instantly, despite everything she was taught. Mon-el was a good man; she knew it – felt it in her gut. Staring at the book lying on the table, which she borrowed from Mon-el, she recalled his advice to keep an open mind while maintaining rational skepticism towards whatever she learns on Daxam. With newfound conviction, she decided to follow his advice and sit on this side of the table for once.

Cicking a button on her pendant which projected a screen and keyboard in front of her, Kara ran a search for the image she captured from the shady gathering. "Katherine…" she mumbled as facial recognition picked up on the beautiful hologram in the middle of the room. Almost all Daxamite news sources painted her as a villainous usurper who brainwashed the prince and the late commander to achieve her goal of becoming Queen long before her time. All books, documentaries and interviews recorded during her lifetime were wiped from the system, banned and classified as forbidden knowledge, the consumption of which was punishable under Daxamite law. All that was left of her now, to be accessed publically, was this vile narrative that did not match the woman Mon-el described.

Most interesting was, almost all signs of her existence were apparently eradicted from the palace, including all holograms and virtual constructs that contained her thoughts and knowledge. What she had witnessed looked like a cult congregation. The more Kara read, the weirder the conspiracy theories got, ranging all the way from simple political ambition, secret religious practices to fantasy fiction about magical worlds. Katherine was truly an enigma and Kara was extremely uncomfortable, finding herself buried six feet under conspiracy theories. Some were so well articulated that, considering what she just witnessed, she actually doubted if Katherine really was the monster she was painted as, and if Mon-el was still brainwashed by his dead wife.

Kara shook her head and looked away from her system to snap out of it, remembering the brilliant visionary she debated with at the oasis room that morning. He was the first Daxamite she was beginning to admire and there was something about the east wing that made her feel at home. She couldn't let it all get to her.

After hours of digging, suddenly a picture caught her attention. It was the only record of Mon-el's wedding that she could find, the pair of them standing in front of the hooded bronze statues in the throne room. Absolutely beautiful, the wore a silk gown with quite the flare and a busty corset to accentuate her curves, black gloves that covered her forearms and brunette curls expertly set and perched on one shoulder. Younger and happier, Mon-el flaunted a clean-shaved look in a ceremonial black Daxamite suit. A man in love, he couldn't take his eyes off her, even for their wedding pictures.

Kara felt a sting of jealousy, but the fact that her heart broke for him was too over powering. She couldn't imagine how it must have felt to watch your wife executed on your mother's orders and have her legacy completely destroyed. Kara wished she met this happier version of him who wasn't carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, who hadn't known such tragedy. Perhaps the prince wasn't as bad as the tabloids painted him, after all. Suddenly, she noticed something around Katherine's neck and when she zoomed in, it was the mysterious green sculpture that fell from Mon-el's pocket earlier that night.

It was sitting on her table, next to the book he lent her, almost mocking her for being as mystifying as its previous owner. Kara typed something into the virtual keyboard on the desk and suddenly red rays from her pendant scanned the figurine. Kara gasped….

Material: Jade

Shape: Jaguar, a creature found on the planet Earth

Carbon dating: Roughly 3000 years old

Earth was an elusive planet that many scientists and writers discussed on Krypton, but no one had visited. It was far away and there was a huge risk of getting sucked into the Phantom Zone, the Well of Stars or several other timeless spaces along the way. It was impossible to separate what was fact and what was fiction when it came to the elusive planet, but Kara doubted that someone from Daxam might have visited Earth before Kryptonian explorers. Maybe it was a gift; Mon-el did have a habit of collecting artifacts from different planets. But then again, the conspiracies surrounding Katherine urged her to investigate further. There was only one person Kara could trust who was bit of a scholar when it came to knowledge about Earth. Quickly sending a message to Kal-El, she hoped her young cousin would respond in the morning.

Crawling into bed, Kara pulled the covers and opened the book to get back to where she left off this morning; her pendant alerted her that she had an incoming call. As soon as she pressed the button on her pendant, young Kal-el's hologram was jumping on the bed in his pajamas.

"Where did you find the Jade Jaguar?" he demanded, unable to control his excitement.

Kara smiled, she really missed Kal-el so much. "Isn't it way past your bedtime? Why are you up so late and more importantly, how are you so energetic?" she interrogated.

"It's not as late on Krypton right now, it's just one hour past my bedtime and I just couldn't believe my eyes when I saw your message for the first time…" he said, throwing his hands up, pacing around on the mattress.

"It belongs to the prince; I think it belonged to his late wife Katherine," she folded her arms and fell back to lean against her headboard. "Do you know anything more based on the data the scan produced? I know you read a lot about Earth," she asked.

"Can I see it first?" his eyes twinkled with excitement.

Kara let out a frustrated breath; she figured she should let him exhaust his enthusiasm before expecting any answers. "Here!" she tossed it on the bed between them.

Kal-El couldn't touch it but his hologram almost ran its fingers over the sculpture, "Do you have any idea what you just found Kara?" he looked up at her with wide eyes.

Kara shook her head, bewildered.

"Around the era of its carbon date, there was a human civilization on earth called the Mayans," Kal-el gestured with both his hands, animating his point. "Jaguars were important symbols to their culture, they considered them portals to the underworld and the creature was feared in general because it's a predatory species."

"But how can you be sure that it wasn't made by some other civilization on the planet at that point?" Kara asked.

Kal-el held his face between both his palms, his elbows resting on his thighs, "I could be wrong Kara but do you know what's really cool about my theory?" he asked.

"No…" she tilted her head quizzically.

"The Mayans had pyramids that look exactly like the ones on Daxam," he nodded like it was the greatest reveal ever.

"It's an exceptional design choice Kal, a little impractical, but it's not that unique!" she stretched her hand out and shrugged her shoulders, unimpressed.

Kal-el looked up, as if wondering, "I mean there was one more ancient civilization on Earth alone that was famous for its pyramids but I'm pretty sure this was carved by the Mayans," he said pointing at the jade jaguar, his gaze falling like it usually did when he was hiding something embarrassing.

"There's a reason behind that isn't it?" Kara leaned forward and looked straight at him.

Kal-el's eyes darted across the room, he shook his head and let out an uncomfortable fake laugh, "What are you even talking about, Cousin?"

Kara squinted to do her best scary big sister impression and Kal-el immediately folded.

"I might have read a story about a Daxamite woman who travelled to Earth about three thousand years ago and lived with the Mayans. They considered her a goddess who fell from the sky. It's a beautiful love story between her and the Mayan King at the time, with so much danger, action and adventure," he spoke with passion in his voice and wonder in his eyes. "She had to return to her world so the Mayan King presented her with a jade jaguar pendant as a parting gift, about the same size as this one," he pointed at the stone figure sitting on the bed between them. "As soon as she was on Daxam, she discovered that she was carrying a half human child. The Daxamites covered it all up, at least in the story; it's a very tragic love story." Kal-el looked down and stared at the jade jaguar for a while, "It's just that when you sent me its scan and details, I couldn't help but wonder," he looked at Kara with a mixture of amazement and fear, "what if it was real, what if it was all real? Can you imagine this with a gold chain, around a woman's neck?" he asked.

Kara let out a deep breath, afraid that this might only fuel Kal-el's Earth obsession more, "Actually I can!" Kara pushed a button on her pendant and flipped her screen around, revealing the zoomed in picture of Katherine wearing the necklace.

Kal-el screamed and launched himself from the mattress, he was jumping again. Kara just laughed and waited for him to contain his excitement. When he calmed down, he plopped on the bed on his stomach and started typing furiously on his own system, "I knew it! This woman Katherine, the prince's late wife, her ancestor was the architect who designed the Daxamite palace." He turned around on his back and stared at the ceiling, a smile of accomplishment on his face, his hands tucked under his head.

"This doesn't prove that everything in that story is real…" Kara tried to be the reasonable adult despite how awesome all of this was.

Kal-el immediately stood up, almost offended, "Not real? This changes everything, Kara. This could mean that we could actually fly and gain amazing superpowers on planets with a yellow sun!" He paced around with such conviction. "It's true, it's not just myth, science fiction or theoretical physics with no concrete evidence, but a fact that no one wants to acknowledge."

"It's not possible for a bipedal to fly and all those powers you talk about seem impossible considering our physiology. I'm sure we could be physically stronger or faster under the yellow sun but I just don't believe in superpowers." Kara fidgeted with her hands, there was faux confidence in her voice but her mind was flooding with doubt. She couldn't help but wonder how exhilarating it would be to have the ability to fly; in fact it was the only thing she could think of right now.

"This is why I don't want to grow up! I can see that you think it's awesome but you just can't help being a condescending adult," Kal-el sat down on the bed, with a grumpy face and his arms crossed.

"Fine… I won't rain on your parade; feel free to indulge in your superhero fantasies!" Kara gave up.

Kal-el stood up, with both his fists on his waist, "When I'm big and strong, I'm going to find my way to Earth, I'm going to get all the super powers and I will fight bad guys." He raised one fist in the air, as if preparing to take flight, "I'll protect everyone and go on great adventures."

Kara laughed at how adorable her little cousin was, "Alright Super Boy, will you start by protecting your cousin? Can you keep all of this a secret? No one on Krypton can find out about any of this while I'm on Daxam, it's too dangerous." Kara stressed in all seriousness, her eyebrows furrowing.

"I'll do you one better, I just sent you a copy of the story about the Daxamite explorer and the Mayan King," he declared with a nod. When he noticed Kara raise her eyebrow, expecting more, he said, "And I swear on Rao, I will not tell anyone about any of this," his smile stretched ear to ear. He stretched his fist at her, "Super cousins?"

"Super cousins!" Kara echoed as she bumped his intangible fist.

Kal-el's hologram slowly faded away, leaving Kara with new reading material to stretch what was already a very late night, new mysteries sucking her into the madness that was Daxam.


	9. Chapter 9

**Good Old Fashioned Sneakiness**

Kara woke up much later in the afternoon than what she was used to, indulging in wild dreams of flying over a fantasy world, courtesy of the Daxamite explorer whose tale she couldn't put down until her eyes were sore and the story ended. As Kara stared at the ceiling, shaming herself of losing so much daylight, a handmaiden dragged in a rack full for modest gowns that adhered to Kryptonian fashion choices, complete with her family's coat of arms on some that caught her eye. Kara sat up with a jerk, her confused eyes darting between the handmaiden and the rack.

"Courtesy of the prince, to assure that your stay here is as comfortable for you as possible," the handmaiden smiled as if she was in on an inside joke to which Kara was completely oblivious.

Running a hand through her hair, Kara beamed, wondering if her discomfort with the Queen's gifts was that obvious. She figured that instead of relying on second hand sources, she could use to opportunity to return the jade jaguar and thank Mon-el for the hospitality, for some good old fashioned sneakiness. She asked the handmaiden, "I need to speak to the prince, is he in his chambers right now?"

The handmaiden picked out a robe and a black bikini for Kara from her previous closet. "His Highness had an early morning today; he's unwinding in the Royal Spa. You can join him there; she said setting down the clothes on the bed. "You look like you could put your feet up for once," she smiled courteously, tenderly running her thumb over one of Kara's furrowed eyebrows.

Kara grinned uncomfortably wondering if no one on this planet knew the difference between platonic and flirtatious. The handmaiden laughed at her discomfort and left.

With a perfectly thought out plan in her mind, Kara marched into the royal spa. The sandstone walls, floor and ceiling perfectly entrapped the steam and incense smoke, which carried a soft erotic fragrance, calmness washed over her the moment she entered. An attendant relieved her of her robe while soft music played in the background, and countless candles softly lit the foggy surroundings. Looking around, she finally noticed him, or at least his back… and what a perfectly chiseled back it was. Leaning against the edge of the pool, his elbows rest on the stone tiles that formed the lip of the bracing. An unnatural amount of fog clung onto the surface of the water. Two women sat behind him, on each side, massaging his shoulders and back. His muscles rippled, flexing and relaxing fluidly to the rhythm of their hands.

With short measured steps Kara walked over to the other end of the pool, her heart racing. Reminding herself that she came here to talk about something important, she casually looked the other way as she strolled, until she would come face to face with him.

Mon-el noticed her hips swaying as she walked by wearing nothing but a black bikini. So much for relaxation! All the confusion and uncomfortable feelings from last night that he was doing such a great job suppressing, instantly crawled back to the surface. When he realized that he had been staring at her legs for a moment too long by Kryptonian standards, he didn't know what to do. Stare at the ceiling? That made no sense. He closed his eyes, which seemed like the most normal thing to do for someone getting a massage. Great! Ignorance was bliss.

Standing at the opposite end of the pool, Kara finally gathered the courage to look straight at him. The fog cleared and her heart leapt to her throat, her palm instinctively moved to her throat just to make sure her body was functioning properly. His broad muscular chest glistened with oil, as his perfect abs disappeared beneath the fog from the naval below. His eyes were shut; he was clearly taking pleasure in whatever those expert hands were doing to him. Wishing it was her hands exploring his perfect body, an image flashed in her mind, of her holding him from behind, her hands slowly descending down from his shoulders to his chest, her cheeks brushing against his beard.

Shaking her head and letting out a deep breath, she wouldn't allow these carnal thoughts to haunt her like last night. They left things on a very awkward note, and she was here to clear the air and get answers. She cleared her throat to get his attention.

"Kara," Mon-el said softly, as if he just woke up, making sure that he's looking only at her face. He reminded himself to stay strong, confident and commanding—he was the prince of Daxam for Rao's sake—but there was something about this girl that made him want to pour his heart out while gazing into her eyes for hours. He wanted to smack his head, but instead he gestured to a wine waiter who quickly fetched him a goblet full of Zakarian Ale.

"May I?" Kara asked, pointing at the pool.

" Please…" directing her to walk in with his free hand. He was just glad that her perfect legs would be submerged underwater for the rest of this conversation and to his delight; she stepped in deeper and sat down one step below him, only her shoulders above the surface. He could physically feel his mind function logically once again.

Kara could feel a strange yet pleasant sensation buzzing over her skin, the water a touch too hot for her liking but she absolutely loved this spa. Raising her hand slightly above the surface, she unclenched her fist, "You dropped this last night."

Mon-el discovered it wasn't in his pocket when he was undressing last night, only adding to the stress of the clandestine contentious meeting already weighing on him. It kept him up last night. Completely drained after the errands he had to run, with Stefan this morning, for his demanding secret colleagues, he was driven to the spa to seek some relief. And then… there it was… in the palm of her hand, the totem he felt incomplete without, which he desperately needed all day to keep himself centered. His eyes instantly grew wide with shock, he instantly tried to calm himself and he moved his palm to gesture her to keep it under water, to which Kara quickly complied.

He whispered to one of the women massaging his shoulders, she quickly got up and rushed to the back room, soon returning with a satchel that she offered to Kara. Considering what Kara read last night, about the ban on Katherine's possessions within the palace, she understood Mon-el's paranoia. She placed the jade jaguar in the satchel and the masseuse gave it to one of Mon-el's bodyguards. Mon-el knew that Kara would have questions so he ordered everyone to leave, except for his personal guards and the few staff members that were attending to him.

Assuming that the people remaining in the room were a part of his inner circle, Kara whispered, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to scare you. It just fell at my feet last night when you left the ballroom and I found you as soon as I woke up…." Her hands moved casually over the surface of the water, temporarily disturbing the fog in their wake.

"Its fine Kara, you did nothing wrong. It's a personal issue…" Mon-el shook his head to cut her off. "So, you woke up just now, another long night?" he quickly changed the subject.

"Yes," she nodded, "it's just been so taxing lately."

"So how's the peace treaty coming along?" he inquired, keeping glass of ale aside as the second masseuse returned, this time setting up her station behind Kara.

"Treaty?" she asked absentmindedly.

"You retired your security detail to work on classified diplomatic work," he reminded her, "I just figured you spent another night in an effort to wrap up the peace treaty as quickly as possible," he laughed casually. Deep down he wished that she was not in such a rush to leave.

"Yes-yes, the treaty…." Kara decided to stick with that excuse, "It's just going to take so much time and effort, and I'm just getting started." Kara pressed her lips together as her forehead crinkled. "How was your night? You left in bit of a hurry yesterday," Kara asked nonchalantly, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Mon-el noticed her dubious facial expressions but he was just happy that she wasn't in a hurry to get out of Daxam. "Nothing much, just a private after-party with a few close friends," he laughed. "Got to live up to the _fratboy of the universe_ title bestowed upon me, after all," he said closing his eyes and leaning back, as the masseuse started on his head massage.

That's one way of describing what she witnessed last night, she wondered. He let out a barely audible moan when Kara found herself being uncharacteristically sucked into the deepest darkest dungeon of her mind, which housed nothing but extremely inappropriate thoughts featuring this man, lately. She wanted to gather the courage to swim to the other end of this pool, which was merely one stroke away and run her hands over his perfect glistening chest. She wanted to be the reason for his moans. She could feel the tension build up between her legs, when she took a deep breath to compose herself and go back to her sneaky interrogation plan. To make matters worse, her masseuse began working on her shoulders. Rao she hated Daxam, who was she kidding?

"You know, I once read a story about a Daxamite explorer who travelled to Earth and lived among the Mayans, your sculpture kind of reminded me of this pendant that the Mayan King gifts to the Daxamite explorer before she has to leave." The moment Mon-el opened his eyes, she was done playing games, and she wanted to use the element of surprise as soon as Mon-el's walls were down.

Mon-el froze! The fact that he was half immersed in hot water wasn't relevant. He needed a distraction, so he went straight for his goblet of Zakarian Ale, patiently waiting beside him. He took a slow gulp and tried to maintain a perfect poker face, even though he was completely freaking out right now. He put his glass down and commented in a calm and composed voice, "Yes, it's a great piece of science fiction, based on the speculations of our scientists about the planet and the radiation of yellow sun. Though, the superpowers were bit of a stretch, in my personal opinion. I thoroughly enjoyed the love story between two star-crossed lovers from different worlds who met against great odds, went through so much to adjust to each other's ways, just to separate for the love of home."

"There's no place like home," Kara smiled, hiding her frustration for that deflection.

"You can feel completely lost in a place you are expected to call your home, you can wander a galaxy and still not find a place where you truly belong, but sometimes you find your home when the one you love wraps their arms around you. Is that worth giving up, for what you are _expected_ to call home? Who knows?" He shrugged his shoulders as he too casually moved his arms around in the water, the fog making way as his biceps flexed and relaxed like a work of art.

That seemed like a hauntingly beautiful catharsis, the more she tried to resist him, the more he grew on her. She didn't have the luxury to go off on a tangent no matter how beautiful he looked without a shirt or how touching his words were. "Isn't it amazing how this palace looks so similar to the one described in a work of fiction written centauries before it was constructed," she tried to look as innocent as possible.

"Life imitating art," he stated thoughtfully nodding.

"Is that what the green sculpture was? The fictional jade jaguar manifesting to reality?" she said, leaning back to take in the wonder that was this shoulder rub.

"Katherine was a huge fan of the book so I asked my art consultant to help me procure jade or an almost identical material and I commissioned an artist to carve it to match the description." He scratched his beard with his index finger as he composed that answer.

 _Lies_ , Kara thought. This was probably the first time Mon-el blatantly lied to her face, well at least he had the decency to not look her in the eye. Kara was frustrated, she couldn't get a single useful answer from him and her sexual frustration had magnified exponentially since last night.

"It's one of the few things I have left to remind me of her. After her execution, all her possessions were removed from the palace in an attempt to erase her identity, which is why I was so paranoid about it when you returned it. I simply can't afford to lose this as well." His confession was sincere, he knew he wasn't being vey forthcoming with her but the stakes were too high in this case.

Kara couldn't stay mad at him while the tragedy in his eyes pierced through her soul. "I understand," she murmured, nodding in agreement. Switching to a lighter topic, "So I heard that you've had a long day today that led you, tired and defeated, in here," she asked pumping her eyebrows.

He groaned in frustration and ran a hand through his hair, "Stefan and I had to take care of a few things for our friends from the after party last night. Don't even get me started on that," he waived his hand in frustration. "Both of us are just recovering from the chaos and drama that was this day in our own unique ways."

"How does Stefan relax? Terrorizing villages… ripping through unsuspecting people… biting someone's head off… Do tell!" Kara crossed her arms in mock anger.

Mon-el's laugh echoed through the spa. "You two really need to kiss and make up! You make him sound like a monster with no humanity," he snickered before he continued. "I'm sincerely hoping that he's boxing because if he's sparring with someone to calm down, I truly feel sorry for that person."

"He spars when he needs to relax?" Kara asked, with wide eyes.

"We're talking about Commander Stefan… Daxam's greatest warrior…sparring or exercising is his go to response for sublimating any difficult emotion." Mon-el pressed his lips together and nodded.

"Actually, that's what I do too…" she confessed reluctantly.

"I knew it! I knew you two were more alike than you thought!" he beamed with a sense of accomplishment. "What are we doing in here then if you seek relaxation? This is a sparring session I really want to see." He turned to look around at his masseuse and smiled, "Thank you that was wonderful." She smiled and walked away to grab his robe.

Mon-el turned around, grabbed the edge of the pool and pulled himself up. Kara's breath caught in her throat, when she saw his butt—those magnificent, plump yet muscular, orbs that defined perfection. She couldn't believe he was naked in the pool with her and desperately hoped he would turn around…if only for a moment. Images of digging her fingers into those hips, as he moved on top of her fiercely, flooded her mind. The masseuse smirked as she noticed Kara staring while she helped Mon-el into his robe. She looked down his pelvis and back at Kara, smiling, as if reading her mind and mocking her. Kara blushed, she was red with embarrassment. What was happening to her? She was convinced that it was something in Daxam's air that turned everyone in a perverted hedonist.

Mon-el tied up his robe and turned around, "Is the water too hot? Your entire face is red?" he asked with concern.

"N-No No… it's good… it's great… it's perfect… I-I just," she stuttered, "it happens sometimes, I have sensitive skin." She thanked not only Rao but all the Daxamite gods as well for that excuse. All of a sudden she had a new theory in her mind to test and talking to Stefan and Mon-el at the same time could shed some light on it. Also, kicking Stefan's ass would be more helpful now that she was a sexually frustrated mess.

"Do you want to come kick Stefan's ass? I know you want to!" Mon-el teased, he knew she was thinking about it, judging from the look on her face.

"You go ahead and wash up. Maybe after I get a head massage too, I'll follow suit in a few minutes, and meet you outside." Kara said, leaning back, closing her eyes as her masseuse moved her fingers to Kara's scalp. Kara's hand slipped inside her bikini bottom as if it had a mind of its own. Unable to handle the pent up frustration since last night, Kara needed an immediate release and a head massage provided the perfect cover in case she accidentally moaned. She submerged deeper into the water so that only her neck was visible to make sure she hand movements as subtle as they may be, don't give her away.

She allowed her mind to indulge in every erotic snippet it had been weaving since last night. In her mind, it was Mon-el's fingers that weaved through her locks and his fingers touching her between her legs as he whispered sweet nothings into her ear. It had been so long since she touched herself, let alone secretly in a room full of people and to top it all off, she had been holding in so much since the previous night. It didn't take her long, but all she let out was a ragged breath.

As Kara walked out, both masseuses smiled at her knowingly and the one that had massaged her head even winked at her. So much for her sneakiness….


	10. Chapter 10

**Fight Club**

"You're glowing despite spending a fraction of time I did in there," Mon-el teased Kara, who just stepped out of the spa in a black jumpsuit, which mirrored Mon-el's.

Paranoid that the masseuses might have told on her, Kara was scarlet with shame as she laughed uncomfortably, "Glowing? I-I'm not glowing!"

Mon-el chuckled, "I mean. you're always radiant but I've never seen you so relaxed. I guess an hour in a Daxamite spa and the prospect of sparring with Stefan did the trick." Swinging his arms to hold them behind his back, he strolled to witness Kara and Stefan's sparring session.

Kara was relieved that at least Mon-El was oblivious to the effect he had on her in there. "I almost forgot, thanks for the wardrobe change," she beamed as they walked side by side.

"You're my guest… It's my duty to ensure your comfort. I noticed your unease at the ball, last night. I commend your desire to be culturally appropriate but it shouldn't be at the expense of feeling uncomfortable in your own skin," he smiled politely. "Some of them even have your family's coat of arms on them." An endearing smile accompanied his words and his eyes gave the impression of a protective older and wiser person looking at child for whom they take personal responsibility.

"Yes, that was an unexpected surprise!" Kara's contentment was short-lived, her smile faded away almost instantly. Did she have no effect on him whatsoever? Was that the reason why he loved having long discussions and teaching her more about Daxam, but he dashed away as soon as they almost kissed the previous night? And was that why he seemed completely oblivious the effect he had on her in the pool? For a man who seemed to not have a single platonic relationship outside of his family, he sure displayed almost no interest in her sexually. Now that she thought of it, she couldn't understand why it bothered her so much; she hated indulging in the desires he unknowingly evoked in her. The urge for combat was suddenly overpowering, she needed to clear her head.

Approaching the fighting arena outside the palace, the pair of them quickly spotted Stefan, commanding his Bo-staff with superhuman skill until his fellow combatant tasted blood and dirt on the ground beside his feet. Stefan stood tall and intimidating, only the barren mountain ranges in the back drop attempting to compete with his glory. He tossed his shirt on the floor and grabbed a bottle of water to gulp down, showering the remainder all over his face.

Strolling towards the pair of them, Stefan swung his Bo-staff like someone preparing to address trespassers entering his territory. Water trickled down his face and his lean, ripped and perfectly chiseled torso. "Didn't you stray too far from the spa into the arena of violence that your pacifist heart detests with such passion, My Prince?" he grinned, his eyes mischievous, "Prepared to train with me once again, just like the good old days?"

"What are you talking about? We wrestle all the time," Mon-el quipped, making three of them burst into laughter. "I have no desire for combat training, Commander. I just got a manicure," he stared at his raised hand nonchalantly.

Kara dramatically threw a hand over her heart, "Aww… Look at you guys using your private and intimate nicknames for each other while flirting."

Stefan smirked, "It's a long and elaborate role play exercise, get onboard with it, Diplomat…" he winked at her flirtatiously.

"Kara joined me in the spa on her quest to relieve stress and to my pleasant surprise, confessed that she too enjoys sparring. I couldn't miss the opportunity to witness the two of you spar," laying the groundwork for his proposal, Mon-El spread both his arms to point at the two of them.

Pointing at the punching bag in a corner Stefan stated, "I don't fight civilians and I most definitely am not going to start with a peacemaker."

"Scared to get your ass kicked by a girl?" Kara taunted.

"Not in the least, our Queen was the champion of Daxam for a good part of my life, defeated only by Katherine, Mon-El's late wife. I stand unchallenged simply because of the injuries Katherine inflicted on her majesty and the fact that Katherine now dines at the Gods' table." Stefan eyed Kara, mildly annoyed by the youthful arrogance, before they both turned to Mon-El, waiting for him to bargain for peace like he usually did at this point.

"Hey, don't look at me! I'm secure enough in my masculinity to have absolutely no desire to be a hero, protector or champion, I'm fine being the one who needs to be protected," Mon-el shrugged his shoulders. "I'm here to sit, sip some wine and watch the two of you battle it out in the arena," he said sitting down on the makeshift sitting arrangement the attendants had put together for him. "Less bickering, more fighting!" he commanded, clapping his hands.

Stefan and Kara exchanged a look and stared back at Mon-el, as if ganging up on him. "For a man who claims to be a pacifist, you sure have a fetish for violence," Stefan noted.

"Does he often arrange duels for you? Is that how you realized that Katherine was your better?" Giggling uncontrollably, she asked Stefan.

"Katherine and I never tussled, I knew better, but she was the only person who could convince Mon-El to learn to fight. His hypocritical ass took pleasure in every moment of it," Stefan side eyed Mon-el, Kara mimicking him.

The pair of them shared their first moment of camaraderie, just as Mon-El intended. "The only tussling that Katherine wanted from Stefan was between the sheets," Mon-El laughed.

Kara choked on her laughter, "Call me a Kryptonian, but I can't process how you two live on a plane of existence where jealousy doesn't exist."

Stefan and Mon-El excahnged a look of shared endearment for Kara, when Mon-El explained, "Kara, I read more about Kryptonian mating customs after our conversation at the ball; I must say it has its merits. But possession and a desire for complete ownership and monopoly over the mate's mind, body and soul, though romantic in theory, by Daxamite belief, is the poison that slowly kills everything that binds two people for a lifetime of partnership. I'm not saying we are untouched by human emotion, we just believe in burying or fighting it instead of letting it control us." Mon-El held out a cup to gesture the wine waiter to fetch him a drink.

Mon-El continued as the wine waiter poured wine into his cup, "Simply because my love for both Stefan and Katherine left no room for jealousy, doesn't mean that the unwanted attention she got from strangers didn't bother me, and remember that insane lover of hers who was completely obsessed with her?" Mon-El looked to Stefan, eliciting a nod of agreement. "That one irked at both Stefan and I. Katherine too wasn't above jealousy, she was furious when Stefan wished to pursue something with a girl who preferred monogamy. She absolutely hated it if she even had an inkling that any of the women she invited into our chambers were ambitious enough to want her position as my professional and political partner."

Stefan chuckled, "She loved reminding us that there were no rules throughout it all."

Mon-El echoed his laughter, "Well the rules didn't apply to her! She was the myth, the legend, the fiercest of them all." Stefan nodded to concur.

Kara was at the end of her rope, the last thing she needed was to be emotionally engulfed under the long shadow this elusive woman cast, even in death. Now that these strange feelings of insecurity were clawing their way out, she wasn't comfortable in her own skin. Back on Krypton she was surrounded by suitors who only had eyes for her and no matter what people on Daxam practiced, she preferred her personal life devoid of avoidable complications.

"So are we going to fight or what?" Raising an eyebrow, Kara challenged Stefan. She needed to punch her way out of this uncomfortable conversation.

Stefan nodded, "Suit yourself! There's already an extra setting at the Gods' table for dinner tonight with your name on it."

Kara noted that Stefan followed Daxam's popular polytheistic religion, the chances of the secret meeting being a forbidden religious cult congregation diminishing. "May Rao have mercy on your soul," Kara shook Stefan's hand before they walked away from each other, finding their place in the arena.

Every single emotion or problematic thought that had been nagging at her since the declaration of war focused into a single one —rage, the easiest emotion to dwell upon. It wasn't warranted but that self awareness didn't stop her from being consumed by it. She trained like a warrior despite her desire for peace because a few moments with a punching bag cleared her mind more effectively than anything else.

She was tired of the diplomacy and the politeness that was expected of her when conversing with the General, the Kryptonian council and the Queen, thanks to their lack of faith in her abilities. She was enraged because she was beginning to understand that this unwarranted prejudice that the people of Krypton and Daxam had for each other might be completely juvenile.

Mon-El… She was furious about her attraction towards this man with the most complicated personal life imaginable, a personal life she most certainly didn't want to be a part of but against her better judgment, every atom in her body was helplessly drawn to him. The way he challenged her beliefs and everything she was so sure of was an intellectually stimulating inner turmoil that she enjoyed and despised in equal measure.

Stefan, on the other hand, with his sarcasm, arrogance and condescending remarks evoked something so raw and primal in her clenched fists. Staring straight into his eyes, she couldn't see a person anymore. The only thing she could see was the living, breathing embodiment of every single thing that troubled her at the moment. Her heels dug into the ground beneath her feet as she prepared to launch herself at him.

Stefan stood still, his feet firmly planted on the ground. His arms were casually wrapped behind his back. Completely unaffected by an uncharacteristically terrifying Kara, clad in black, dashing towards him, he calmly tried to get a read on her.

Successfully dodging blow after blow that she threw at him, he moved with the finesse of a dancer. "How predictably Kryptonian of you," he taunted as she lost balance.

Regaining her balance, Kara flung a surprising kick directed at that smug face of his. In an attempt to dodge it, he lost his balance as well, "How Daxamite of you, always on the defense, never a shred of courage to be found," she mocked, pouting.

Stefan smirked, "Does courage translate to foolishly punching first, strategizing later in Kryptonese?" He finally unclasped his arms and gestured her to come at him, her training was worthy of at least an attempt.

Mon-El rolled his eyes, trash talk wasn't his favorite part when it came to violence but, then again, he wasn't sure if there even was a favorite part for him.

Outraged by yet another remark directed at her intelligence, Kara was at the end of her rope. She was done playing. Diving in with carefully planned punches at his face and upper body, she allowed him to keep dodging her. The moment he got too comfortable with her singular brute force tactic and was too confident to anticipate any better, she thrust her fist into his abs. She loved wiping that grin off his smug face when he realized that she wasn't the one trick pony he assumed she was, but the joy didn't last long. Piercing pain burned through her knuckles instantly. Wondering if his abs were made of steel, she couldn't remember the last time punching bare skin hurt this much.

As she jerked her hand off, Stefan laughed, flexing his abs in an attempt to nurse himself without showing weakness. "I bet that hurt you more than it hurt me," he declared with a patronizing smile returning back to his face.

Marching towards him, Kara tightened her grip ignoring her aching knuckles. This time Stefan caught her fist that was directed at his face and left the most restrained blow he could deliver, given the circumstances. Kara tumbled back and Stefan instantly regretted everything. "I'm sorry… I'm really sorry about that Kara… Are you fine?" Stefan reached out to make sure she was fine.

Mon-El put his cup aside and stood up, completely shell shocked. Convinced that this was a bad idea to begin with, he decided to intervene, "I think we've seen enough for today," he addressed Stefan.

She looked at her feet and groaned until he was close enough, his guard down for the first time. Descending upon him with all the ferocity she could muster, she relentlessly jabbed her fists blindly into his are torso until her knuckles were numb to the pain and he was floored. "Stop treating me like a kid!" she howled towering over him.

Mon-El clapped and applauded her trickery, "Glorious! Absolutely glorious!" he declared.

"That was a low blow, even for a Kryptonian!" he kicked her foot with just enough intensity for her to collapse face-down into him. Gently running a hand over the head that crashed into his chest he smirked as her grumpy eyes emerged, "You started it! What's next on your list of Kryptonian fighting tactics? Kick in the crotch?" He wiggled his eyebrows mockingly.

Digging her palms into his chest, Kara pulled herself up and decided to follow his advice by aiming her knee at his crotch. "Owwwwww…" she winced as she bruised her knee.

Stefan shook his head in disappointment, "Do you really think I would enter an arena without wearing a codpiece capable of delivering instant karma to a dishonorable opponent?"

Failing to hide her amusement, she burst into laughter. "Are you sure you're old enough to be the Commander?"

"Don't give into the smoke and mirrors of my good looks, I have been serving in the armed forces for almost twenty years now," he declared. Kara snorted in response and rolled over, the pair of them tried to catch some air as they stared at the red sun.

"Twenty years is still record breaking by Kryptonian standards," Kara complimented, in an attempt to fish some information about the Commander whose untimely demise left Stefan with the baton.

Turning his head to make sure she wasn't being sarcastic. "Well I am the youngest Daxamite Commander; thanks to hard work, a foolish predecessor," he noticed Mon-El marching towards them, "and sleeping your way to the top usually does the trick." He looked up only to find Mon-El looking down at both of them, judgment and mock betrayal in his eyes.

"You know, one of these days I would really like to find out if absolutely any at all would rush to my bed chambers like they do now if I wasn't the Prince of Daxam," he bumped a fist over his chest dramatically wounded.

Kara knew that they were both joking but there was a shred of brutal honesty hidden behind Mon-El's sarcastic confession that broke her heart. "In my case, all it took was two major terrorist attacks, a war, demise of half my colleagues, and departure of the rest for damage control, leaving me to with the most pressing issue. An issue I'm clearly not equipped to handle and literally everyone knows it!" Throwing her hands up in the air, she noticed Mon-El and Stefan's growing discomfort for her mini-crisis.

"You're the peacekeeper who negotiated a ceasefire between Krypton and Daxam in less than a day! You might be young but your accomplishments and abilities are far beyond your years and I apologize if I, or anyone on Daxam, made you feel otherwise," Mon-El sincerely apologized as he offered his hand to help her get up. He expectantly looked at Stefan to pry out an apology from him as well.

"Yes, what he said," he uncomfortably concurred as he got up as well, "How's your fist? Do you need medical attention?" Stefan turned to look at her with furrowed eyebrows, still concerned for her despite her betrayal.

"Are you waving the white flag already? Ok! I accept your surrender," Kara pouted.

Stefan threw his hands up, "I'm happy to oblige, if you wish to keep on going."

"No!" Mon-El instantly declared, "No more sparring for you two today!" He darted his eyes between the two of them.

"Let the cool kids have some fun, mom!" Stefan retaliated.

Groaning in frustration, Mon-El ordered his bodyguard, "Training Bo-staffs!" He wasn't messing around this time. He used his most authoritative voice with Kara and Stefan, "No more hand to hand combat. You two can fight with the non lethal Bo-staffs we use to train our soldiers and all strikes must be restrained. You can imply an attack and showcase your skill set but you aren't allowed to physically hurt each other. Training rules apply, do I make myself clear? If I observe more than three violations, I'll order you to stop. If I see another bruise on either of you, I'll order you to stop. If you disobey that order, there will be serious consequences." He glared into both of their eyes, his own cold and commanding, before he clasped his hands behind his back and strolled away.

"Let's see how well you do without the brute force and cheating," Stefan spun his Bo-staff right before he tucked it underneath his arm and moved into position.

"We'll see about that…." Swiveling her Bo-staff swiftly from one side to another, Kara twirled along with it over her head, right before she firmly planted her feet into a fighting stance.

"Show off!" Stefan grumbled, unimpressed.

Once again, Kara took the approach to charge in aggressively, tapping into all the rage she could channel. Her passionate strikes met with a passive defense from Stefan. He was fighting with one uninterested hand, another resting on his hip, as if challenging her to up her game. It wasn't until he flashed an arrogant smile that she decided to take him up on that offer. Using his lack of momentum against him, she pushed into his Bo-staff enough to gain leverage. She flung herself over his shoulder in a gravity defying move. Gaining a choke hold on him from behind, she bragged, "I learnt that move on War World."

"As did I," he smiled at her flirtatiously. As soon as she smiled back, he corrected himself, "Actually," he thrashed his head back into hers, kicking her foot with his, "I taught them that move." He used her disorientation to release himself from her hold and he detached his Bo-staff into two batons. He turned around to take a challenging stance against his enraged opponent.

"That's one violation for Stefan," Mon-El announced nonchalantly sipping his wine.

Kara unleashed her Bo-staff into two smaller easy to use fragments as well. If Stefan was going to utilize his three violations, she wasn't going to play by the rules either. Swinging their batons furiously, they were now equally invested in the fight. They struck, twirled, leaped, dodged and moved so fluidly, it would seem like they were dancing if not for the batons and their fuming aura.

In the blink of an eye, he flung one of her batons from her hand. It felt like someone slashed a part of her arm. She retaliated by knocking out his knee with the baton she still possessed and thrust her elbow into his abs.

Losing his balance, Stefan turned to Mon-El, "That's two violations for her, not one." He didn't understand why Mon-El smiled mischievously until it was too late for him to dodge the roundhouse kick directed at his face. He could only flinch enough for his shoulder to take the blow.

"No! That's three violations for me," Kara declared picking up her baton. She flashed a sweet smile at Mon-el, "I promise I'll behave from now onwards." Wiping her face, Kara charged at Stefan again.

Stefan blocked her leading baton with his and ducked in a flash to swing his other baton at the back of her leg. Kara landed flat on her back, "This counts as my second violation, and I wouldn't need a third. If this was a real fight and my strikes weren't restrained," Stefan gently rest one foot over her hers until it was flat on the floor and quickly pulled away, "then pop goes your ankle." Her knee jerked up in response and he brought his other foot a touch of a hair away from her knee, "there goes your knee as well." Looking down at her, unknowingly he delivered his first of many useful combat lessons to Kara, "This move is exactly how Katherine tore both the ligaments of Queen Rhea's right leg. Her Majesty favors left ever since." Stefan moved away and offered her a hand to help her get back up.

"Congratulations on your victory!" Kara shook his hand, doing her best to muster her sportsmen spirit.

"The pleasure was all mine," Stefan nodded. "You put up a good fight and you seem like a quick learner. You're always welcome to train in my arena Kara Zor-El of Krypton; we might just make an honest Daxamite warrior out of you."

"Look at you two finally getting along, only took an insane amount of violence and aggression," Mon-El interjected, smiling at them sarcastically. "Who needs words, am I right?"

Suddenly Kara noticed Stefan and Mon-El exchanging a suspicious look, as both of them subtly shifted their attention to a pair of noble women who walking into the arena, carrying their Bo-staffs as if the equipment was alien to them. They established eye contact for a moment but no greetings were exchanged. For some weird reason, it felt like they all shared a deeper friendship than either pair implied in that moment.

"Are they your friends?" Kara inquired, quizzically tilting her head.

"No…" Mon-El instantly shook his head as if it was unfathomable, "Might have bumped into them at a party, can't even recall their names. Can you?" he asked Stefan.

"Me neither," Stefan concurred.

There was something about their defensiveness that irked at Kara. This couldn't be sexual or romantic in nature, considering how intimacy didn't seem to be a private affair for these two, or anyone else on Daxam for that matter. Maybe it was paranoia, but Kara noticed the two women casually thumping their Bo-staffs together in a manner that seemed out of place from a combat standpoint but the almost musical rhythm reminded her of a died out code briefly touched upon during her training. Noticing that Stefan and Mon-El were on high alert, trying to piece together something in their heads, Kara too decided to give the code a shot. The words she translated it into made no sense but seemed weirdly similar. The next set of beats translated to something more familiar, numbers in the Ancient Tongue. When they repeated the exact same pattern one last time, it all pieced together perfectly. ' _One week from today… 21:30 hours…_ ' it was followed by something else but the last part was completely lost on her.

To test her theory, Kara mentioned, "Did you know that one week from now I'm meant to submit my proposal for the peace treaty to the Queen?"

"What? No! Really?" Completely flabbergasted, Mon-El desperately tried to string together a coherent response.

"Why would you suddenly bring that up?" Stefan interrogated, completely embracing the terrifying persona of the Commander of Daxam's armed forces.

Their reactions validated her suspicion; she wasn't being paranoid. It really was a coded message, maybe an announcement of the secret society's next meeting. "All three of us bonded so well today and it just donned on me that as soon as the treaty is signed, I'll have to leave for Krypton and I might never get to see you two again. If the Queen doesn't object to the terms, then it might happen as soon as next week itself." Kara made her response as sincere as possible. She wasn't completely faking either; she weirdly grew more attached to Daxam than she ever anticipated.


	11. Chapter 11

**War and Peace**

Convinced that ignorance was bliss, Kara decided that denial was the key to combating her unquenchable thirst for the prince of Daxam, whose life was equal parts mysterious and complicated. She was sent to Daxam for a reason and the sooner she finished that job, the sooner she could return home. A rather naïve part of her genuinely believed that once her pod thrusts out of Daxam's gravitational field, she too will be unshackled from the pull he exerted over her desires.

She spent the entire week relentlessly drafting a new peace treaty in collaboration with the Kryptonian council and their Emissary currently residing in the East Wing as well. Whatever spare time she had, she spent immersed in books she borrowed from Mon-el's personal library to gain Daxam's perspective of all past conflicts between the planets, Daxam's history, and the secret societies and cults that were founded on this planet throughout the years.

Mon-el often found his feet come to halt every time he passed her chambers. He understood the magnitude of her task at hand; he desired nothing more than for a treaty to formally put an end to this looming threat of war, however, that didn't mean he wasn't haunted by the reminder that it would entail her departure.

At first, he was pleased with her absence, the unfamiliar and confusing set of emotions she stirred within him, no longer a bother. What he failed to anticipate was this constant exasperating hole that nagged at him, making him crave the feelings he was previously afraid of, which were so much tamer in comparison. He was stuck between a rock and a hard place, coming to a realization that there might not be a solution that sticks. There was nothing he feared more than her departure because he felt it might only make things worse.

Stefan saw nothing but humor in this situation, wishing they would just screw already and be done with all the unnecessary pining. Sometimes the answer was just that simple, but that was Krypton in a nutshell—absolutely nothing was simple and straightforward. He took one good disappointed look at Kara and Mon-el who were greeting each other formally outside the throne room, as he marched towards the gates of hell, praying that Lady Devil would sign the treaty without bringing up any last moment hidden agendas laced with her personal brand of ulterior motives. "The fate of our worlds rests on your shoulders today, little peacemaker. May the Gods be with you!" he nodded at Kara as they both followed him into the throne room.

Astra and Alura attended as holograms, as Kara, Stefan, Mon-el and the Kryptonian Emissary waited at the table for the Queen and King of Daxam to join. Every single person in the room suddenly kneeled at the entrance, Her Majesty had arrived. All the Kryptonians, shifted uncomfortably in their chairs. Queen Rhea strolled in wearing a sober grey gown with a floor length cape trailing behind her and a hair band instead of a crown. Looking more calm and serene than ever before, she gave everyone some hope for today's proceedings. King Lar Gand followed right behind her as they took their places at the round table at the foot of the throne, where Kara shared her first meal with the royal family.

The three Daxamites—Mon-el, Stefan and Lar Gand sat opposite to the three Kryptonians—Their Emissary, Astra and Alura. Kara and Queen Rhea seated at the opposite ends. A proud smile appeared on Rhea's lips as she admired her throne, which momentarily vanished as she sat down and noticed the hideous Kryptonian glyph on Kara's white gown. Reminding herself to focus on the big picture she mustered as much politeness as she could while addressing the Kryptonians.

At length, Kara explained the terms and conditions of the treaty to the Queen, "In conclusion, it's all pretty standard. Most of the terms and conditions are the same as the previous peace treaty between Krypton and Daxam, with the exception of a few minor details unique to this conflict."

"Except for one major difference you didn't account for," Rhea pointed out, carefully studying the document in front of her.

"What is it? I'll correct it this very instant!" Kara promised, sincerely.

Rhea cherry-picked her words for the trickiest negotiation of her life, "An embassy is technically an extension of the planet it represents. So when those Kryptonian terrorists blew up our embassy that was an attack on Daxamite territory. Soon after that, Krypton declared war on an unsuspecting Daxam by pointing its missiles at us. That's how it went down, if we show complete faith in Krypton and accept the official narrative of course…." Rhea chuckled, as if there was supposed to be a joke somewhere in there.

"Why are we questioning the investigation at this stage of the peace talks, Your Majesty? I thought we had an understanding when Kara negotiated a cease fire," Alura respectfully demanded.

"Oh Gods! Don't get me wrong, I have complete faith in Krypton and the official narrative of the attack," Rhea clarified, stretching her hands.

"Which major difference are you referring to, Mother?" Mon-el keyed in, trying to put a finger on whatever his mother was scheming.

"The obvious difference is that last time Daxam was blamed for initiating the war and even though all lives that were lost, were lost in space, no damage was done on Kryptonian territory. Setting the entire tone of the former peace treaty, Daxam paid a huge price for our proactive role. Krypton's proactive role and the loss of civilian lives on Daxamite territory at the hands of Kryptonian citizens changes things. You didn't expect me to just roll over and take it. Sign an identical version of the previous treaty, young diplomat?" Rhea raised an eyebrow to challenge, no one understood what her angle was, but her point couldn't be denied.

Alura figured that it was her subtle way of negotiating for a penalty, Daxam was entitled to demands. Hoping to negotiate for something that wouldn't burn a hole in their treasury she offered, "We can promise to return the remains of the Daxamites who lost their lives in the attack soon enough and incur the cost of the reconstruction of your Embassy."

"The Daxamite diplomats that we sent to Krypton last week have already arranged for the transfer of the remains and estimate the budget for the Embassy, an insignificant cost for the crown to endure. Money and tradition is not what I seek through this negotiation." Rhea stated calmly, the desire for money never having crossed her mind. She couldn't even fathom how it felt.

"Then what is it that you desire?" Kara was clueless about the motivations of politicians, let alone a Daxamite monarch.

Rhea laid a hand on the table and stared at her tapping index finger for a good moment, before she looked up, her impossible-to-read gaze hovering over all the Kryptonians in the room, "Nothing like a friendly exchange of knowledge and technology to forge a long lasting political friendship."

Astra and Alura exchanged a look before Astra turned back to Rhea and asked, "Do you have something specific in mind?"

"We are planning to harness the energy of our core, but considering the fact that the technology almost led to Krypton's demise, all we ask for is the documentation on the uncontrolled chain reaction that started and the solution that you and your sister came up with to contain it." Rhea requested, wearing her most innocent mask. Mon-el and Stefan were completely taken aback, this was news to them.

"Why would you harness your core? Daxam has no shortage of natural resources," Astra inquired, unsure why Daxam would follow Krypton's footsteps in regards to the worst decision her planet ever made, especially when Daxam had safer options at its disposal.

"We wish to switch to a cleaner source of energy. I understand it's a little dangerous, but I've heard a lot of how brilliantly you contained the threat Astra, and I have faith in your solution." Rhea attempted to press all the right buttons, using Astra's passion for protecting the environment and self-righteousness against her. She knew that she had already warmed up Alura with her hints at a financial penalty, considering Krypton's economic conditions post-stabilization of their core, Rhea knew she would say yes to almost anything that did not hurt them financially.

"Give us a moment to have a word with the Council," Alura requested right before their holograms froze.

"I wasn't aware that we planned on harnessing the core," Mon-el quipped, using the little break to get a better insight on what was his mother's endgame here.

Switching to a much sterner tone while addressing Mon-el, Rhea joined her hands together, "The Crown is not obligated to share every decision with the second in line. All I'm obligated to do as Queen is to groom you to take my place one day."

"I am very much aware that I am not entitled to ask for inclusion in decision making, Mother," Mon-el said in a soft tone. "What I'm curious about is the absence of a massive scientific organization that would be required to check if our core is even feasible to be utilized like Krypton's core."

"I have a team of experts, but not in the capital. You've actually met their lead scientist Lena. I thought you two were very close, such a shame you never even asked her what she did for a living. If you don't even bother keeping up with the identities of people who share your bed, dear son, then how do you expect a dull scientific facility outside the capital to catch your attention?" Rhea flashed a wicked grin, surprised at Kara's discomfort with the jab.

Stefan interrupted the family drama, "Pardon me Your Majesty, but the Crown was obligated to disclose this information with the Commander of the Armed Forces, if it involved turning our planet's core into a ticking fusion bomb."

"Only at execution stage, it's all very theoretical at this point. We might never go ahead with it, but it's smart to have an option other than exploitation of our natural resources. They won't last forever!" Rhea was at the end of her rope, she didn't expect her own people to blow holes in her plan.

"We have already started switching to renewable sources of energy, which are much safer for the people of Daxam," Stefan pressed further, convinced that there was no plan for harnessing the core. He had spies all over the planet, it was impossible to keep something of this magnitude from him.

King Lar Gand flashed Stefan the look that he reserved for rare occasions, to indicate that Stefa was getting too close to jeopardizing their political plans, "The safety of Daxamites is our first concern." This phrase was their own secret code; he couldn't afford to keep Stefan and Mon-el completely in the dark, he had to at least let them in on the fact that they were sabotaging Rhea's plan with their interference. Both of them instantly backed off.

Silently observing everything that was going on, Kara only cared for getting this treaty signed before the Queen took a complete turn on that decision as well. Something about Rhea's last moment demands that irked at her, Kara knew she couldn't trust the woman sitting across the table from her.

Astra and Alura's holograms came to life once again, Alura negotiated, "We discussed this at length with the Council and we all agree to an exchange of knowledge but this is a colossal demand, it took our scientists centuries to develop this technology. How about we turn this knowledge transfer into a two-way street?"

Rhea raised her eyebrow, she was convinced they were prepared to give her what she wanted, and this was merely a display of Kryptonian pride. She was intrigued, "What does the Council have in mind, Alura?"

"Well our general believes that the late Daxamite emissary was working on a project to gather proof for Photonucleic Effect and create means to make it a possibility even under the Red Sun's radiation before she moved to Krypton as a diplomat. We would like to have access to her research," Astra humbly requested, not caring in the least if the General's demands are met or not.

This request set off alarms in the minds of both Stefan and Mon-el. If the Kryptonian general was aware of the research, then it didn't seem farfetched to doubt if he had a hand in the attack on the Daxamite Embassy. It wouldn't be surprising for Krypton to steal Intel and later use extreme measures to not only cover their tracks but to put a dent in the research process. Thankfully the emissary shared everything with Stefan the night before the attack and wiped her devices clean and replaced her research with mind numbing gibberish.

Stefan laughed as if it was the most ridiculous thing he ever heard, "Photonucleic Effect? It is a completely theoretical concept. Yes, the Daxamite emissary on Krypton was a scientist with our Defense Research but her ideas about Photonucleic Effect were ludicrous musings of someone a bit too obsessed with science fiction based on far off habitable planets that revolve around a yellow sun. We didn't even entertain her idea; she was soon moved to a diplomatic role because she was clearly not cut out to be a scientist."

Stefan shook his head, his heart broke as he destroyed the confidential legacy his dead friend left behind, but he had to put up his best show to protect this military secret, "Whatever documentation she might have on this so-called research must have been destroyed in the explosion. She was good with words, I give her that. I didn't expect the general to be this gullible though. If he wants reading material on Photonucleic Effect, I am happy to send him copies all my favorite science fiction stories."

"Well we weren't sure about the legitimacy of it either," Astra was convinced by Stefan's argument, being a scientist she was skeptical of the general's claim. "Personally, I am much more interested in your technology for short distance teleportation beams."

This was something Rhea understood and it was a fair demand exchange for what these fools were giving away so easily, "Seems like a fair request… I will be happy to make that trade." Rhea beamed with joy, everything she ever wanted, almost in her grasp.

Kara shortly appended the treaty to include a clause for the promised exchange of technology, which became a binding agreement once Alura and Rhea signed it. As the meeting came to an end, Rhea's personal bodyguard, Shadow Lass, a raven-haired beauty with deep blue skin, strolled in and dropped an envelope in front of Mon-el. "Some girl came by to hand deliver this party invite for you, I couldn't let her in but she said it was for your eyes only," she said nonchalantly and left.

Kara noticed the time for the event when Mon-el opened the invitation, 21:30. She recalled the message she decoded at the arena, a potential save the date for Mon-el's secret meetings. The day and the time couldn't be a coincidence, "I could really use a Daxamite party after these peace talks," Kara grabbed a hold of Mon-el's forearm and noticed his pulse racing.

Mon-el laughed nervously, "It's not the kind of party that you would find appropriate, trust me."

Rhea decided to throw in her two cents, "If Mon-el thinks it's inappropriate for a Kryptonian, trust me sweetheart, you don't want to go anywhere near it, even a full blooded Daxamite such as myself wouldn't."

Exiting the room, all four who attended in the flesh had their own mission in mind. One of them was going to do something tonight that would change the entire course of rest of their lives…. Which one? That was the real question, considering the long night they all had ahead of them.

Kara's personal mission was to follow Stefan and Mon-el to this so-called party tonight. She was consumed by curiosity and before she left for Krypton the next day, this was her last chance to get to the bottom on it.

Rhea and Lar Gand stayed back in the throne room, Lar ordering all the guards to leave them alone and close the door behind them.

"Rhea, I have never questioned your decision making once, but as the King I'm obligated to know why you agreed to the ceasefire and this peace treaty, which is almost identical to the last one, and offered our teleportation beam technology in exchange for a technology we neither require nor intend to use." Lar strolled over to the other end of the table, clutching to the back of the chair in which Kara was previously seated.

"Oh, I definitely intend on using that research, just not in a way everyone assumed I would." Finally finding herself in a comfortable situation where diplomacy was no longer necessary, Rhea let out an evil laugh.

"You don't intend to harness the energy of our core, do you?" Lar tilted his head and smiled, as if he could understand what his wife had in mind.

"I wasn't lying about the team of researchers, though! The scientist I extended an invitation to, Lena, she heads a private small team of scientists who ran a simulation of what would have happened to Krypton's core if they failed to stabilize it." Rhea stood up and smiled at the glory of Daxam's throne right in front of her eyes, her feet slowly drawn towards it. "If the chain reaction continued, then right before the planet would explode, their entire core would turn into one last stable element called Kryptonite, which doesn't occur naturally. It needs a very specific set of conditions to be synthesized in a lab. Other than the theoretical simulation, we don't have all the information to replicate those conditions right now," she said as she began to ascend the stairs.

"But you will the moment they share their research you have access to their data," Lar looked up at Rhea, still unsure of her plans.

"With Lena's help can start mass producing it then, she doesn't even know what I intend to do with it," she said absentmindedly, looking up at the three bronze cloaked figures guarding the throne.

"What do you intend on doing with this element?" he asked.

Sitting down at the only seat suitable for a Queen, she clutched onto the arms of her throne and edged forward, "We might have lost the battle my love, but I will win this war unlike any of our predecessors who tried. When I am done with their world, Krypton will crumble like dust underneath my feet."


	12. Chapter 12

**Cloak and Dagger**

Kara left the palace soon after the meeting in casual wear, under the pretence of exploring the capital before her departure the next morning. Inconveniently ignored in her refusals for both conveyance and bodyguard, she made several stops to overdo the cliché tourist act until her bodyguard finally complied with her request to wait for her outside while she shopped for clothes. It was a fine establishment; Kara needed something that would help her blend in at a Daxamite party, which was apparently too inappropriate for a Kryptonian.

Browsing through the store, she warmed up to the idea of embracing her sexuality, instead of concealing her curves underneath modest clothes and reaching for scraps when in Daxamite clothing. She was sick of that endearing look in Mon-El's eyes. She was a grown woman and for once she didn't want to be invisible like a ghost, floating to a corner soon after entering the room. For her last night on this planet, she wanted to turn some unimpressed heads. No reason she couldn't mix business with pleasure, a little ego boost on her quest to quench her curiosity for this secret behind these clandestine meetings. As soon as she found what she was after, she quickly changed and discarded her clothes. The attendant offered to help her with hair and makeup for a generous tip, even calling a cab for Kara.

"Shenanigans," Kara muttered as she sneaked out the back entrance and headed for the venue she only caught a glimpse of, when Mon-el scanned through his invitation. Praying it wasn't another code, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Kara entered the lobby, her gold strappy heels clicking against the beautifully polished red marble flooring. The fragile champagne pink floor length sheer dress left absolutely nothing to imagination. Gold embellishments bunched together to strategically conceal patches of skin. A skimpy golden bodice held the flimsy dress in place. Two thin heavily embellished pieces of fabric trailing from the back of her neck to the waist, gloriously far apart, revealing a tantalizing glimpse of her bosom and well-earned muscular abs. A dangerously petite jewel encrusted skirt flared beneath the enticing divide, barely concealing her panties in the front but falling spectacularly short in the back, teasing at bottom of her cheeks from underneath the sheer fabric.

Luscious curls, darker underneath the lighting, were swept perfectly on one side. Sultry eyes, laced heavily with kohl grew darker compared to the bright comets as usual. The mild blush over her glowing skin, courtesy of her makeup artist, only deepened as she noticed all the eyes on her. Kara considered crawling back into her shell, but reminded herself that tonight she wasn't Kara of Krypton; tonight she was a full blooded Daxamite woman. With her head held high, she strutted in like she owned the place.

Noticing the security personnel checking for invitations, Kara quickly glanced around until she found a young man completely dumbfounded by her. "Grife!" she threw up the hand with a beautiful chunky ring. "Can you believe I left my invitation in the cab? The first time I decide to not carry a purse, this happens!" she complained to the man, who was now completely taken aback by the fact that she was actually talking to him.

"I-I… Actually I…" he struggled to find the right words, "I don't have a plus one, I'll be happy to accompany you," he extended a shaky hand.

For a moment she wondered if this is what she usually looked like while talking to her crushes, if this indeed was this the reason why Mon-El was usually so amused by her discomfort with the Daxamite way. Politely smiling, she tucked her arm into his and gestured for him to lead the way.

The room was dark, only lit by sudden flashes of light, completely packed with intoxicated hedonists. Kara couldn't even identify half of the substances that were being consumed in here. Dancers in skimpy outfits hung from the ceiling as they put up the most magnificent gravity-defying show. Quickly ditching her date, she cased the joint and found the perfect bar stool providing cover as well as a good view of the entrance, which she watched like a hawk. She arrived an hour early to ensure she followed Mon-El into that meeting.

As time passed, Kara noticed a few people in hooded cloaks who reminded her of the last meeting she glimpsed, walking right into a particular corner and disappearing into another room, completely unaffected by the ocean of happily swaying bodies through which they moved. They seemed out of place, suspicious and worth investigating. Keeping an eye on the entrance, she sneaked behind them, maintaining a safe distance and swaying with the crowd around her to blend in. They led her into a dimly lit corridor with a wall right in front of her adorned with several decorative mirrors, before they suddenly had disappeared into thin air. The corridor only led to two rooms on both ends and exploring them only led her to shows of a much more carnal nature, which she would prefer to permanently scrub from her memory. None of the attendees seemed like they had just joined in and there were no cloaks in sight.

Kara was just exiting the room when she saw him and quickly hid behind the slightly ajar red door. He was clad in the same cloak, he wore the first time she landed on Daxam and was greeted by him. His face might have been concealed by a hood but she would identify that build, that beard and the two royal gold medallions which pinned his black cloak to his suit. "Mon-El," she whispered under her breath as she noticed Stefan move one of the mirrors slightly, revealing a door.

Mon-el felt the hair on back stand, a familiar set of confusing emotions briefly popping up to nag at him for no reason, "Are you sure we weren't followed?" he asked Stefan, looking around to make sure they were alone.

"What's with the paranoia?" Stefan, clad in full armor underneath his cloak, asked as a door appeared in front of them.

"I don't know, I had this weird feeling…." he scratched the back of his neck, almost certain that he caught the whiff of a rather familiar perfume, momentarily. They disappeared into the room, the door quickly camouflaging back to an unassuming wall behind them.

Kara quickly dashed towards the cloak room, where all the non-shady guests left their cloaks behind to enjoy the party. All she needed was the perfect disguise to blend in, now that she found her way inside.

The hologram containing Katherine's thoughts and knowledge commenced the meeting as soon as Mon-el and Stefan walked in. She stretched her arms up in the air, to recite their oath as a hooded figure took it as his cue to light the massive lamp in the middle of the room. Katherine began, "Silently guarding the throne of Daxam, the Founding Fathers witness our motherland straying further away from their vision on a daily basis as the truth keeps getting swept under the rug of Forbidden Knowledge. Our Ancient Order…."

Stefan raised his palm to cut her off as soon as he took his place beside her to address the semicircular formation of cloaked figures on the other end of the burning lamp. He didn't have the patience for rituals at the moment, "We can recite the oath at the end of this meeting. There are more pressing matters at hand. The Queen had a last moment request before signing the peace treaty. She wanted the data on stabilization of Krypton's core, under the guise of Daxam's desire to harness its core. My spies assure me there hasn't been any ongoing research on the subject matter or a team of scientists large enough to work on a project of that magnitude, which we aren't tracking at the moment." Whispers began to slowly spread throughout the room. "Do you have any new intel?" He asked the Master of Whispers.

"I can assure you there is neither a demand nor a plan in place for harnessing our core for energy," he mumbled. "Though I hear that the Queen recently invited a young scientist to the capital…."

"Yes, Lena… I need complete access to her research, a full background check and eyes on her at all times," Stefan ordered the head of his spy network.

The Master of Whispers interrupted, "If only the Commander would hear me out, I can share the intel that I have already gathered. The young scientist was working on a theoretical simulation for the doomsday scenario in which the chain reaction wasn't contained."

"Does she plan on blowing up Krypton? She can't be that crazy?" Stefan asked Mon-el, as he threw his hands up in frustration.

Tapping his index finger thoughtfully over his lips, Mon-el finally spoke, "Daxam wouldn't sustain damage of that magnitude inside our solar system. There was something about the look in father's eyes when he requested us to stop asking questions regarding the harnessing of our planet's core for power." Mon-el began pacing around the room to make sense of it all. "I don't think she has any plans for generating power, at least not the kind of power she is pretending to care about. Didn't you find her a little too uncharacteristically pacifist since all of this started? She showed resistance but it was a little too easy for me to talk her into these peace talks. I was sure she would demand Kara's head on a stake but the moment she laid eyes on her, she looked at her like…." Mon-el struggled to find the right words.

"Kara was an opportunity?" Katherine's hologram chimed in. "There is something in the data set she demanded which holds the key to Krypton's demise without risking Daxamite lives. Something that the simulation run by Daxamite scientists lacks, maybe the exact conditions on Krypton. Get a hold of both and you just might figure out what Rhea is after."

"If it's a weapon, then my researchers should be able to figure it out once they have access to the data," Stefan assured. As Shadow Lass joined them, her blue chin peeking through her hood, Stefan inquired, "Did you hear the Queen talk to a scientist named Lena about something?"

"I didn't understand much, but the Queen once asked her to make jewelry or something for her," Shadow walked by nonchalantly as everyone dismissed her information as misinterpretation of Daxamian.

"Which brings us to our second agenda for today," Mon-el addressed the room. "The Kryptonian general was aware of our research on Photonucleic Effect."

"How much do they know?" one of the members inquired.

Finally getting a hold of the shadiest black cloak she could find in the cloak room, Kara poked her head into the corridor to make sure if the coast was clear. She quickly draped the cloak around herself and tried to remember exactly which decorative mirror Stefan moved to access the secret door. Stepping back as the door popped up on her second attempt, she took a deep breath to calm herself and slowly stepped inside. Moving silently unnoticed like a cat, she stood behind the crowd. Not understanding a word of the topic they were discussing, she looked up when she heard Mon-el's voice.

"The spies we deployed on Krypton under the guise of a peacekeeping diplomatic party, yesterday confirmed that the two bombings have completely different signatures and there's no way the same terrorist organization is responsible for both attacks like the Kryptonians claim," Mon-el announced. He had tricked her; she couldn't believe she had fought for the deployment of a Daxamite diplomatic party on humanitarian grounds, to let them assess the damage to their embassy, send back the remains of their dead and follow the official investigation on the ground.

Stefan added, "Most of the reports they gave us access to, were redacted, with no useful information, but from what our hackers have gathered and the samples from both sites smuggled along with the remains, we can conclude that the terrorist organization blamed for the attacks was only responsible for the first one at the party. We are still investigating the attack on the Daxamite Embassy but considering the intel their general had on our emissary, it's reasonable to believe he had a hand in this. We are waiting for test results to learn more about the bomb used." Now Kara was furious. How could they use their diplomatic privilege and the remains of their dead to spy on her people? This was a new low for Daxam. And why were they so adamant about blaming Krypton's government for the tragedy?

Katherine's hologram concluded the meeting, "You all have our tasks cut out of for you, now let us take our oath and complete the ritual." Kara noticed a hooded man dropping something into the flames which changed its color to blue. "Silently guarding the throne of Daxam, the Founding Fathers witness our motherland straying further away from their vision on a daily basis as the truth keeps getting swept under the rug of Forbidden Knowledge. Our Ancient Order didn't put an end to war, crime and conflict within our planet and pave the path for the establishment of a single centralized government, just to bestow more power into the hands of a Crown which grows increasingly cruel, oppressive and power hungry by the day. Enlightened by the Forbidden Knowledge and the vision of the Founding Fathers, it is our duty to explore, learn and pull the ignorant into the light. We will not rest unless we take power from few monarchs and give it to the many, completely separate religion from politics, put an end to slavery and unshackle Daxam from the chains of isolationist space policies."

Stefan echoed along with her, "We do not wage battle in the open field, for we were born and nurtured in the shadows to protect our beloved Daxam from the oppressors who rule her in the light of the day. Until the day comes when the rays of the yellow sun are coursing through our veins, we step out of the shadows, not as mortals but as Gods."

Mon-El finished the introduction, as he brought his fist to his chest, "I pledge my life to the noble cause of truth, justice, equality and establishment of new world order." The semicircular formation of hooded figures abruptly kneeled before him as they all repeated the oath.

Kara was the only one who didn't say the words along with everyone and was left standing for a long moment before she clumsily dropped to her knees, not positioning her arms in their signature move.

Mon-el instantly noticed the discrepancy and his eyes grew wide in horror as she stood up and a golden curl sneaked through the hood. Those lips, he would recognize those lips in a crowd. He prayed to the gods no one noticed her because there was no way they would let her walk out alive.

"We have an imposter among us!" Shadow Lass announced, pointing at Kara, much to Mon-el's disappointment. "This one didn't recite the oath, didn't kneel along with us all and later made a laughable attempt at it."

Stefan quickly glanced around the room, "The inner circle only consists of 33, and we have a 34th among us tonight. Show yourself!" he commanded.

Hands shaking, heart racing, Kara didn't if know if she could fight her way out of this one as Shadow Lass approached, doesn't mean she wouldn't try. Kara instinctively attempted to strike Shadow with an elbow, before Shadow ducked and bent the darkness in the room to her will, shaping it into a lasso and trapping Kara. She slowly tipped the hood away, to make the reveal more dramatic and the first thing Kara saw was the horror and betrayal in Mon-el's eyes as he nervously ran his hand through his beard. She quickly noticed Stefan shaking his head in disappointment with nothing but disgust for her.

"Is that Mon-el's new favorite Kryptonian? Nice to finally meet you, too bad you wouldn't live long enough for us to get acquainted. Maybe our AIs could interact in the everlasting void that is death; it would really give us something to bond over." Katherine taunted, folding her arms.

"Katherine please!" Rolling his eyes as he turned off the AI, the last thing he needed was for his dead wife's ghost to convince the entire room to run towards Kara with pitchforks. He was already regretting talking to her about Kara. He needed a plan; he needed a damn good plan.

"Bring me her pendant at once," Stefan ordered Shadow, who quickly snatched it from Kara's neck. The darkness that entrapped Kara like a rope binding her from shoulder to feet, unwillingly pulled her along with her captor who strolled towards the Stefan and produced the pendant.

Stefan silently turned on the device scanned through the contents at length, while Mon-el folded his arms and turned his back at Kara to avoid the plea in her eyes. "I see you did your research, Kryptonian! She even snapped photograph of our last meeting…."

"Did she send it to Krypton? Is my face visible in that picture?" Shadow Lass asked, beginning to panic.

"No! No she didn't send it to anyone, calm down!" Stefan assured Shadow, "Oh! What do we have here? Katherine needs to see this!" Stefan turned the AI back on.

"Rude!" Katherine pouted, pissed at Mon-el for pulling the plug on her in the middle of a conversation.

"She searched about Katherine for hours that night, even watched a fair share of conspiracy theory videos, researched her ancestor who designed the palace and get this, she knows about your Jade Jaguar. She knows, she even read…" Stefan couldn't stress the last past enough when he was abruptly cut off by Mon-el who added.

"Read the book based on Katherine's ancestor's life…" Mon-el felt like she twisted a dagger into his back, he turned around to look her in the eye. "You knew! You knew everything, that's why you had so many questions when you joined me at the pool to return the trinket. You tricked me into an interrogation."

Katherine snickered, "In the pool? I'm impressed! I must say I underestimated you with the whole innocent little bird act you've got going on for you," the finger pointed at Kara casual scanning her form from head to toe.

"The books…" Mon-el suddenly realized, "Those books you borrowed on secret societies and religious cults under the guise of learning more about Daxam." She had used his love for books against him, now he was furious.

"I'm guessing she cracked the code for the save the date last week when we were sparring, did I tell you how ashamed I am to be your mentor this passing week?" Stefan tilted his head in question, his words laced with regret. "Your fighting skills are a joke for a spy, or maybe you're just that good at pretending!"

"I-I am… This… This is a misunderstanding… I am n-not not a spy, Stefan!" Kara stuttered, completely flustered as soon as she understood the gravity of the situation.

"Save it, Kara!" Mon-el held his palm to cut her off. "We need to fix this," Mon-el quickly switched to crisis management mode. He thought if he could just fix it all then, maybe, just maybe Kara could walk out of this without a scratch. He hated her so much right now and what he hated even more was his weak instincts to still protect her.

"You, you're the IT expert," he pointed at one of the members in the crowd. "I need a team to comb through everything on this," snatching the pendant from Stefan's hand and passing it over the tech expert, "and make sure if any of her communications to Krypton include any incriminating evidence about our society. Once you are done gathering information, scrub all evidence of anything close to real in there." He waved his hand to dismiss him and pointed at another member, "I need you to make sure there is no evidence of this room's existence by tomorrow." He pointed at another member, "I need video evidence and medical records of Kara being escorted out of the club and treated for excessive consumption of hallucinogenic drugs." Finally he pointed at the last person whose help he would need to bury this, "And you, do what you do best, dial up the conspiracy theories to such a level of insanity that anyone who talks about our society or the origins of my Jade Jaguar is instantly considered delusional."

Stepping forward a hooded figure, pulled out a dagger from underneath his cloak, "My Prince, I'll be honored to do the dirty work for you and finish off the Kryptonian."

The little shred of hope Kara had because of Mon-el's plan instantly disappeared a wave of terror washed over her, "No! You c-can't, you can't do this… I have rights! I have diplomatic immunity…" The shadow rope that gripped her slithered up to her mouth and shut her up. Kara's face burned red as she silently screamed and tears began to pool in her eyes.

It was too heartbreaking for Mon-el to look at; he stood in front of her, "No! Don't you dare lay a finger on her! I will now allow you to gut her like an animal."

Shadow Lass suggested, "That's a good idea, a wound that like could be difficult to explain. I could just asphyxiate her, without leaving a trace of foul play. All we have to do first is inject her with this perfect hallucinogenic drug which has asphyxia as a rare side effect."

Katherine cut in, "That's a perfect plan, Shadow." Katherine clapped her hands together, "Well someone go get the drug!" One of the members dashed out quickly.

Turning back to look at Kara, Mon-el noticed a single tear that fell from her eyes. He wiped it off with his thumb, his own eyes welling up in desperation. Looking over at Shadow, he used his most authoritative voice, "Release her!"

"What?" Shadow asked, confused if she misheard him.

"Release her at once!" he demanded once again.

Shadow narrowed her eyes and inched closer to Mon-el, her lasso tightening its grip over Kara, as if challenging him to use that tone on her once again, "As your Prince, I order you to release her at once."

Katherine chimed in, "Oh! Don't let your emotions get the better of you, my love," before Mon-el turned off the AI once again.

"You order me? As my Prince?" Shadow lashed out. "Oh I thought we were all equals in this Ancient Order of Enlightenment that was so above the oppressive constructs of slavery!" She huffed in anger as she turned around for a moment, "Isn't that what you promised me when you asked me to risk my life and spy on your mother for you. So what?" She towered over him, "What else? _Master?"_ stressing on the word with disgust "Any more orders for this lowly slave?"

"I have never treated you like a slave, Shadow. Please, loosen the grip on her, I beg you!" Mon-el requested his glance shifting desperately between the two women.

"You think you're so much better than your mother but just like she believes that she _liberated_ me from my previous captors on Warworld, and for that kindness and mercy she believes she purchased my gratitude and expects me to gladly sacrifice my life to protect hers if she's in danger." Slightly slacking her lasso to provide Kara some comfort, she taunted, "How is it any different from you asking me put my life at risk in exchange for your respectful treatment towards slaves?" When she noticed Mon-el attempting to find words, she held up her index finger mere inches away from his mouth, "And for what? A Kryptonian spy?"

"How am I asking you to put your life at risk? All I'm asking you to do is let her go! Please…" Mon-el begged.

"I know what you're thinking… you're considering mercy for this Kryptonian! You think you can cover this entire disaster up with conspiracies and hearsay?" Shadow shook her head quizzically.

"Yes! This organization has existed since the foundation of Daxam, we have survived worse," he assured.

"Maybe all you nobles will walk away without a scratch but all it'll take is a rumor that I'm in cahoots with you for your mother to demand my head on a stake. I don't share the same status as the rest of you, I'm a slave, I'm a foreigner and my skin is blue… I have abilities that people fear… People like me don't get the luxury of mercy like this doe eyed Kryptonian princess here," Shadow looked over at Kara with nothing but loathing.

"I will protect you Shadow. I'll never let anything happen to you," Mon-el held his head in his hands, at the end of his rope.

"Like you protected Katherine?" she taunted.

"That was different and you know it," Mon-el was enraged by the insinuation.

"Yes, she only had a bit of what Daxamites call 'Ape-Blood' which she inherited from her ancestors and knowledge of potential abilities which scared people, take a good look at me My Prince!" She retorted.

"I was young and weak, I accept that. I didn't have access to resources or contingency plans in place, which I do now. Believe me; no harm will come to you!" He swore an oath to Shadow, quickly turning around to look at Stefan who was casually leaning against the wall without a care in the world. "A little help here?" Mon-el brought his attention to the pressing situation at hand.

Letting out a frustrated breath, Stefan got back on his feet and asked, "Do I really have to?"

"Yes! Stefan! Of course, you have to," Mon-el yelled, annoyed with Stefan's lack of support.

"Let me take care of this, if your gentle heart can't tolerate this traitor's tears. I'll make it as quick and painless as possible," Stefan said withdrawing his favorite dagger from underneath his cloak and toying with it playfully.

"Don't force me to bear arms and fight you, because I can and I will," stepping between Kara and Stefan, Mon-el stated matter-of-factly. "Escort her back to the palace. Put her under house arrest until the IT team finds any evidence of her being a spy. She could just as easily be curious and foolish. We can't allow paranoia to rule us and I refuse to be the judge, jury and executioner like my mother," Mon-el tried to bargain with Stefan's intellect.

Placing his dagger back into its sheath, he begrudgingly marched towards Kara, lacing his arm into hers as Shadow Lass let go of her. "Don't try anything, there's a lot I haven't taught you," Stefan warned Kara as he escorted her outside.

"Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself and we don't end up executed like Katherine and the late Commander," Shadow mocked as Stefan passed by. "The next in line just might break your record of youngest Commander!"


	13. Chapter 13

**The Thunderstorm**

Relentlessly pacing around her suite, Kara obsessively went over every single detail of the night. As soon as the jitters and the fear of imminent threat passed, she started processing the events that passed logically. Her own future seemed bleak and terrifying at this point. Desperately trying to piece together everyone perspective, she was trying really hard to put herself in the shoes of these people. With shaking hands, she poured herself a glass of wine, until her handmaiden intervened and helped her out. A few sips had a temporary calming effect on her, until the memory of the shadows slithering over her mouth rushed back in, the threat of being asphyxiated at any given moment constantly looming over. Her glass shattered at her feet instantly before she even realized that her entire body trembling in fear.

"Don't worry, I don't think you're going to die tonight," Stefan assured in the least helpful manner, lazily sprawled at the round study table in the middle of her sitting area, balancing his dagger over the table.

"Forgive me for not taking the word of a man who just offered to gut me with the very dagger he's playing with as I reel over the aftermath of staring death in the eye for the first time in my life." Kara rambled, pouring herself another glass of wine, this time using every ounce of strength to steady her hands.

"You really mean it, don't you?" Stefan was taken aback, there was no way she was this good an actress. It really was her first date with death, she was no spy. Spies are married to death when they start getting assignments this dangerous.

"Ofcourse I mean it!" she yelled, infuriated by his lack of compassion.

"Well maybe Mon-el was right about you not being a spy. The IT guys didn't find any evidence of you sending any incriminating information to Krypton. So did you actually take a risk this big, simply out of curiosity?" He pouted, unable to fathom the thought process that decision making would involve.

"Well there was no way for me to know it was all ancient and forbidden," Shaking her head, Kara paced over to Stefan, "And so damn murderous!"

"If only naiveté was a crime!" Stefan rolled his eyes.

Shadow Lass marched in and Kara responded instinctively, taking a few steps back. "You have been summoned by the Prince!"

Escorted to his chambers by Shadow and a dozen other guards, Kara desired nothing more than to return home, be held by someone and cry her eyes out. She couldn't do that here, not in front of blood thirsty Daxamites. Tonight she must exude nothing but strength. They would never know how deeply they scarred her.

Mon-el stood in silent contemplation as rain drops trickled down the wide floor-to-ceiling windows scattered across the long slightly slanted exterior pyramid wall. His cloak lay heavy at his feet and his jacket tossed off in some corner as his forehead rest, troubled, against the cool glass window. Adorned in a clean white closed-neck shirt, he stood a man without a title. It was one of those nights when his authoritative mask was too much of a burden to bear.

Thunder struck, illuminating the desert landscape. There was something so hauntingly beautiful about watching these thirsty desiccated lands showered by such heavy downpour on rare occasions. It evoked something dark and broken within him, while simultaneously something so disturbingly soothing washed over him. From a very young age, he had survived nights much darker and hopeless than this one. He honestly couldn't remember a time when he was too innocent to be shocked by such violence. But there was something about tonight, the fear he witnessed in Kara's eyes. There was nothing he wanted more than to make sure she was fine, even though he didn't know if he could trust her, or if he would ever meet her after tonight.

"My Prince," the Butler walked in to announce Kara's presence, "Diplomat Zor-El is here."

"Send her in," he said thoughtlessly as he walked over to the fireplace in the corner, to seek refuge in its warmth, unable to marinate in his numbness anymore.

"You Highness," she greeted with soft bitterness in her jaded voice. "You summoned me?"

Still clad in the hood which brought back nothing but terrifying memories for Mon-el. He took a deep breath, lazily resting his forearm over the mantelpiece. "About what happened tonight…" he began.

Kara instantly cut him off, "It is not what it looked like, if you only hear out my side of the story…."

Mon-el raised the palm of his free hand to assure her, "We can discuss that later. How are you holding up?"

Kara was positively taken aback by question. This is not what she expected from him, she built her walls up stronger, "Fine! I'm absolutely fine!" She nodded excessively to drag the point further than it needed to be dragged.

"Are you sure?" he pressed further.

There was something about the sincerity in his eyes which pulled Kara's feet towards him. "Can we talk privately?" she requested, approaching closer. Looking up at him, her eyes were cold as if carefully concealing immeasurable pain. Deepening to the coldest hue of blue, just like comets.

"Leave us," he requested his butler and all the staff members quickly retired.

Kara looked around the room, noticing the guards who still surrounded them, "I have been frisked, I can assure you I intend no harm."

Mon-el let a small laugh for the first time that night, "It's not you, more of a habit! The royal guards are almost a natural part of my surroundings at this point." He addressed his bodyguards, "Excuse us!"

"Your Highness…" They began to protest.

"All of you stand guard in the corridors of the East Wing. Just the two of you can stand guard outside my bed chambers and leave the door," he looked over at Kara to understand what level of privacy she expected, "Closed? Open?"

"Closed behind you," she turned to address the bodyguards as they left.

"This is weird!" Mon-el declared as he scanned though his eerie surroundings, empty and massive. "Privacy is usually for conspiring, this is going to be difficult to explain."

Kara shrugged her shoulders, "Welcome to normal life, this is how most people have difficult conversations, in private."

There was something about that realization that allowed the warmth of the fireplace into his heart, he liked the idea of this normal. "I understand at some point we have to discuss the events that led us here but what you experienced tonight was shocking and traumatizing to say the least." Like every person with a rough childhood, he was too familiar with the mortal desire to be comforted despite the brave face. For no one understands fear better than a child raised by violent adults. People too sheltered or the ones who occasionally visit this world as tourists in controlled environments like training arenas and sporting events, their innocence deserved to be protected at all costs, for there was still hope for them. "You are entitled to your feelings Kara. Really, how are you holding up?" Reluctantly, he raised a hand to cup her face.

Kara's instinctively nestling of her cheek into the warmth of his hand was a welcome surprise. Rolling her eyes shut, everything she had been burying beneath the surface came rushing to the surface. As her hands shook, she suddenly buried her face in his chest and clutched onto his back. After a moment of surprise, he cradled her head with one arm, drawing circles on her back with another, and in that moment she felt weirdly at home as she breathed in the smell of exotically Daxamite perfume. Lightening struck outside the window right behind him, and her tears seemed to compete with the pouring rain as she held him tighter.

Wiping her face with the sleeves of her cloak, Kara finally stopped crying. Mon-el rested his chin over her head, his beard slightly tickling her. "Kara? Are you ready to talk now?"

"Um-hmm," Kara nodded.

"About your little espionage side project," he reminded.

Begrudgingly she crawled out this newfound cozy little comfort zone, "Urgh reality! I wish I could sleep it off and wake up on Krypton to realize this was all a nightmare."

That stung a lot more than it should, if this was a dream Mon-el wished for an everlasting night of slumber. He didn't wish to wake up to a reality in which he never had the chance to meet her. Clearing his throat, he reminded himself to focus on the matter at hand. "Have a seat," he offered as he dragged his bare feet over the fluffy rug before plopping into the couch facing the fireplace.

Before he could even get a word, Kara declared as soon as she sat down beside him, "I'm not a spy!"

"I want to believe you, Kara, I really do. First of all, why did you click that picture?" He turned to face her, hand leaning over the headrest and his stern expressions a lot more intimidating than he intended given the raging thunderstorm in the backdrop.

Staring blankly at her laced fingers fidgeting over her lap, she answered after a long pause, "After the ball, I wanted to return the jade statue you dropped but on my way to your chambers I heard chatter coming from the other side of an open door. That's when I got a glimpse of this strange meeting. I was curious, so I clicked a picture and researched the picture and the statue. Image recognition picked up on Katherine and before I knew it, I was knee deep in conspiracy theories about this enigmatic woman, for whom no record of her life was available, except for tidbits so alluring and capable of pulling anyone deeper down the rabbit hole. Scans of the Jade Jaguar revealed facts I wasn't even ready to confront…."

"You shared those details with your cousin. Why?" he interrupted.

This is exactly what Kara was dreading. "Kal-El reads a lot about Earth. He even recommended that book to me." She looked over at Mon-el, "He's just a kid, and I made him promise to keep that secret."

"It's good he's a kid, makes it easy to discredit him," Mon-el stated pragmatically. "We sent him a malware using your pendant, to scrub any record of communication between the two of you that night."

"You had no right to invade his privacy!" Kara retorted passionately.

"Actually I did! That Jade Jaguar is my most prized possession, the only reminder of my late wife. It was her family heirloom with millennia worth of history, which is now forbidden in this palace. Forgive me for reversing a gross violation of my privacy." His non-apology dripped with sarcasm.

He had a point, but Kara was angered by his cold and detached tone, so far removed from the warm and tender man who held her only moments ago. "Well at least Kal-El got a better deal than a medical record for consumption of hallucinogenic drugs on a foreign plane," she taunted, looking away.

"It's sealed! My failsafe to discredit you exists only to tackle the worst case scenario of you being a spy. If you never share the events of tonight with the Queen or anyone on Krypton, it'll be as good as nonexistent. Why are you mad about it?" He demanded, baffled, stretching both his arms out in question.

Kara shifted her leg up to turn and face him, her eyes red and pained, "Why do you need this elaborate plan to have leverage over me?"

His mouth parted a few times in disbelief, he couldn't even find the words to answer that question. "You do realize that the leverage you have over me is of life and death magnitude? Not just mine, but the people I care about. That elaborate plan was the only way for me to protect everyone I care about, and that includes you too, Kara!"

Shaking her head in disbelief, Kara let out an ironic laugh. She wished it was true but she had a hard time believing he cared for her as much.

"No one in that room had a reason to trust you or put their lives in your hands. From the moment I laid eyes upon you in that meeting, my only thought was to get you out safe, and let me tell you, it was a snowball's chance in hell. What would you have preferred? Murder?" Mon-el let out a frustrated rant beyond his better judgment.

"Don't you think there's something wrong with your company if that's their first instinct? Kill first, ask questions later!" She was done crying, all she felt now was resentment, and maybe she was taking it out on the wrong person, but she clearly wasn't prepared for this stone cold interrogation session Mon-el had planned for her.

"Do I think there is _something_ wrong about all of this? Haven't you been paying attention? I am well aware of the toxicity of my environment and the violence it breeds. Why do you think I'm so adamantly pacifist?" He was pained beyond measure by her question.

"What do you mean by that?" she whispered, the pain in his eyes echoing in hers as well.

"This is not my therapy session, this is about you. I can understand that your curiosity was sparked but why did you join that meeting? Why take a risk of that magnitude without a cause?" Mon-el's voice reduced to a soft murmur.

That was a hard question to answer, since she was beating herself over it for a while now. She stared at the fire in silent contemplation, "I thought it was just some overly dramatic elite club, I wasn't expecting that level of conspiracy. I cracked the code at the arena, I saw the name of the venue on the invitation, I saw you and Stefan enter and I even found the perfect disguise. I thought I had it handled."

A smile warmed its way across Mon-el's lips. He wasn't paranoid without reason; it really was her he sensed in that corridor. Even though her underestimation of what she was walking into and her overconfidence in that simple plan was getting on his nerves, he admired her resolve. "Have you considered that sometimes you're not a good a judge of what you can handle?" Her stink eye made him regret it instantly, "I said sometimes."

Lips reducing into a pout, Kara nodded in agreement much to Mon-el's surprise. "Yes! Reminds me of that one time you requested I put in a word with the council so that you could send _diplomats,_ " Kara stressed, drawing air quotes, "to Krypton, to do what?" she asked, innocently mocking him. "Oh yes, to facilitate peace talks and access the damage done to the embassy. And what did I do? I even extended you the courtesy of giving your diplomats access to the investigation of those bombings."

"Really? Are we really going there?" Mon-el stood up, letting out an exasperated breath.

"You tricked me! You sent undercover agents to spy on my people! Hacking into our law enforcement databases? Smuggling evidence along with remains?" His deceit and treachery twisting like a knife in her back as her fists balled up with fury.

Mon-el abruptly turned around, "No!" Raising his index finger to make a point, "I didn't send them to your planet to spy on your people. I sent them to investigate an attack on Daxamite territory on Krypton to uncover the truth that my people deserve! Recovering the remains will do no good if there is no justice for the Daxamites who lost their lives in that attack."

"There is due process in place if justice was the end goal," she rose to her feet, heels digging into the carpet.

"Espionage is much more efficient and you know it, Krypton's due process is a never-ending circle of misinformation and cover-ups," throwing his hand up in the air, Mon-el didn't have the patience for diplomacy anymore.

"Our justice system is so much more transparent than this cruel planet still ruled by Kings and Queens, where diplomats are put on house arrest indefinitely without cause," Kara inched closer.

"It's never surprising to witness a high and mighty Kryptonian talk freely about us lowly Daxamites." Mon-el laughed at length, only fanning the flame that was her anger. "Without cause? Seriously, Kara? You trespassed into a top secret meeting that no Kryptonian had any business attending!"

"Is there any paperwork, proof or legal recourse in place? Is there a crime that I committed, a crime that you can actually report to your Queen? Any Daxamite law I broke?" Stepping towards him with every single question, Kara raised her eyebrow quizzically.

"Actually this very expensive cloak you are wearing right now," pointing a finger at her, Mon-el critically scanned her head to toe, "it doesn't belong to you. You stole it! It's the property of a noblewoman who reported the theft an hour ago. So there you have it, that's your crime."

Furiously unbuttoning the cloak, Kara stripped it off in one swift motion, "Here! You can return it to her."

Not expecting a dress so sinful underneath, Mon-el was shell-shocked by the reveal. It was not something he could imagine her wearing even in his wildest fantasies. That sheer pink gown left absolutely nothing to the imagination especially against the soft light of the fireplace as she stood there, with that hideous cloak hanging over her stretched arm, her smoky eyes infuriated with him. The wide cleavage running all the way to her waist was weakening his resolve. The scraps of gold fabric and embellishments over her torso weren't doing much to help, or maybe it was doing too much considering how fast his pulse was racing. Running his eyes lustfully over those perfect long legs, he didn't like where his train of thoughts were headed. Who was he kidding? He loved it. "You look beautiful in that dress," he said out loud, much to his surprise, his voice soft and yet so dark.

Kara was bowled over by that unexpected compliment, before she looked down and remembered what she was wearing. Were his eyes growing dark with lust? Enjoying the uncharacteristic role reversal Kara crossed the distance between them to hand the cloak over to him, "Take it!" Smiling at the way he instinctively backed away uncomfortably she demanded, "So, what do have to say for yourself now?"

For the life of him, he couldn't even remember what they were fighting about with his pants tightening, against his better judgment. No, he had way too much self control to lose an argument to the weaknesses of the flesh. He instantly turned around and started marching to the window. "Oh n-no no no…. You do not get to turn this around on me…. No."

"Don't you dare walk away from me," Kara followed him.

"I'm the one in this situation, at this moment, that is supposed to be mad!" He declared as he stared blankly at the storm raging outside. Taking deep breaths, fogging the glass decorated by trailing rain drops on the other side, he regained control over his mind and body. "You don't get to judge me for deploying spies on Krypton in the guise of diplomats after you, a Kryptonian diplomat, get caught red handed in an act of espionage," he retorted, folding his arms under his chest.

"It is not the same thing," Kara snapped, her hand resting over her hip bone.

"Yes it's not, because I wanted to investigate the death of my people on my territory and you were collecting intel on the very personal affairs of the heir to Daxam's throne." He only turned his neck catch a glimpse of her face, "Tell me, how would Krypton respond to a Daxamite spy stalking your second in command?"

"Stalking?" she laughed ironically. "I was not stalking you, don't flatter yourself!"

"We can call it passionate research if that makes you more comfortable," she remarked nonchalantly. "How can you accuse me of tricking you into agreeing to the diplomats after your blatant manipulation at the spa last week? That is the dirtiest trick in the book."

"What trick? Which book?" Kara demanded, she was just frustrated by the accusation now.

"I don't know, the guidebook for amateur spies," he taunted.

Throwing her hands up in the air, Kara clarified, "For Rao's sake, I am not a spy! I was just trying to get some answers about the jade statue and all you did was lying to me about that story being fictional."

"That story is fiction," Mon-el responded like a grumpy kid, too stubborn to budge from his stance.

"How stupid do you think I am? I scanned that 3000 year old statue from Earth. That Jade Jaguar looks exactly like the one the Mayan King gifted to his Daxamite lover in that story. A trinket which you previously said you gifted to Katherine while you were courting her, because she was such a fan of the story, but today you spilled that it was her family heirloom. Katherine's ancestor designed this palace, which looks exactly like the Mayan structures from that story. I saw how you responded to the mention of Photonucleic Effect at the Peace Treaty meeting. I also paid attention to your secret society's oath in the end, which mentioned the effects of the yellow sun. Why do you keep lying to me?" Kara demanded.

Turning around, his eyes pained and red, Mon-el spoke in a cracked and defeated voice. "Because people don't owe anyone their life story. We aren't children becoming fast friends in school that we need to disclose every aspect of our inconsequential existence; we are grownups with complicated lives. I don't owe you answers. You had no right to these very private aspects of my personal life. It's not a right, it's a privilege. I don't have to tell you anything I don't want to, until I trust you and feel comfortable enough to disclose sensitive information, unless it directly affects your life in some way."

Just because it made sense logically, doesn't mean that one arm distance warning didn't hurt like hell. "I thought we were closer than that," she whispered.

"We are acquaintances, that's all we are, that's all we'll ever be, Kara." Shoving down every single confusing emotion he felt for her, he came to terms with the fact that she wouldn't be a part of his life after tonight. "You aren't being held indefinitely; your pendant will be returned to you before you leave for Krypton tomorrow. I have a single request of you, even though I have rock solid alibis for both Shadow Lass and Stefan, I need you to promise me something," he held her hand.

"What?" Kara searched his eyes, unable to believe all of this was actually behind her.

"If there is even the faintest chance that you really have ulterior motives, name no one but me. A room full of hooded strangers you couldn't identify lead by me and Katherine." He scanned her face for a reaction.

"I would take your secret to my grave," Kara held his face with her free hand. "But if it makes you feel any better, I promise."

"I appreciate that," Mon-el nodded, his face comfortable nuzzling into her delicate palm.

"That's an awful lot of faith to have in a Kryptonian _acquaintance_ ," the word unable to roll from her tongue without stinging, "for someone whose wife was executed for conspiring against the Queen."

"Well it's not really faith. You get this crinkle," his finger brushed over the ridge between her eyebrows, "right here when you lie." They both chuckled at the brief light hearted moment. "It's ok, I've cheated death more times than anyone should, I can gamble with my fate if it ensures the safety of all three of you."

"Do you always care about your professional acquaintances this much?" Kara didn't buy that he didn't care at all. Now that she knew could leave this wretched planet as planned and go home, she didn't feel as happy about it as she thought. There was something about the finality of it all which only strengthened the pull he had on her. It was in that moment she knew, that getting in her pod and escaping his home-world's gravitational field wasn't going to break this magnetic connection she felt.

"No, not at all," he pumped his eyebrows before his gaze dropped to his feet, "you're special. My favorite acquaintance, if you must." Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, he let go of her hand and backed away from her. "If you're not a spy, then why? We keep arguing in circles, not once did you give me a reasonable answer for infiltrating a secret society on your last night on Daxam, instead of literally anything else our hedonistic planet has to offer."

"I just had to know," she began. It was now or never, she decided to finally come clean instead of marinating in the misery and turmoil. "I think, somewhere deep down, I was simply searching for a reason to write you off. I thought if I found out that you were pure evil then you wouldn't have this maddening hold over me."

Mon-el tried to shake off the confusion that washed over him, "I don't have a hold over you."

"Consciously… no," she looked down at her feet trying to articulate what she felt in the most ladylike manner possible, "but whenever I'm close to you there's this unimaginably intense gravitational pull, every atom in my body craves to be one with yours."

Mon-el smiled, "Now that's exactly something a spy would do, toy with a man's unruly feelings he barely has a grip on."

Did he say what she thought he said? Wondering, if he felt the same, "Feelings? For me?"

Mon-el tilted his head, "Isn't it obvious? I care about you. Maybe if my life was a little less complicated, if we had met under more normal circumstances, if we had more time, maybe I would have propositioned you to one of those open ended courtships you have on Krypton."

"Dating?" Kara asked reluctantly, trying to piece together the magnitude of that confession. She couldn't understand if he really wanted that with her or if he thought that it was the only way for Kryptonians to have intimate relationships.

"Yes, but you deserve so much better than me, Kara," he tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. Kara shook her head in disapproval and he continued, "This unimaginably intense gravitational pull you say you feel towards me, do you know what else exudes that? A _black hole_! Two words which perfectly summarize my life here on Daxam. You're far better off running for the hills and you don't know how lucky you are that this is the last we will see of each other." Mon-el gently cupped her face between his palms and kissed her on the forehead. "Good night," he wished, to a completely baffled Kara.

Slowly backing away from him, she wasn't quite sure what she was supposed to feel about any of this. Kara turned away, taking his Goodnight kiss on the forehead as a cue for her to leave. With a heavy heart, she walked away at a wounded pace.

Mon-el let his head lean back against the window the moment he noticed that other than the few tiny clusters of gold embellishments over the sheer fabric, only half of her hips were really covered up, the bottom of her perfect butt cheeks peeked through, as they swayed seductively. "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful," he whispered to himself as he let out the defeated breath of a man who just let the woman of his dreams walk away. He turned to stare outside, once again back to the hopelessness he felt before she walked into the room.


	14. Chapter 14

**No Tomorrows**

Approaching the door with reluctant steps, Kara couldn't bring herself to get onboard with Mon-el's self-loathing. Who was he to decide he wasn't good enough for her? That was for her and only her to decide. As her hand hovered over the door knob, she knew for a fact if she walked away right now, he'll forever be the one that got away. She didn't want to be haunted by 'What ifs' for the rest of her life, she already had enough regret, heartbreak and disappointment in her romantic baggage from Krypton. Letting out a deep breath, Kara thought, _when in Daxam live like a Daxamite_. Locking the door, she pivoted on her heel and raked her gaze from his slumped shoulders to his perfect behind, "Mon-el…."

Unsure if she really did call out to him, he hesitantly turned to witness an unquenchable carnal thirst in Kara's eyes, setting his own passions ablaze. Every single rational thought went straight out the window; the only thing he cared about was to have her in every way she wanted all night long.

"I don't care if there's no tomorrow for us, we still have tonight." Embracing her inner hedonist, Kara ran into his arms, captured his lower lip with hers and kissed him until she ran out of breath.

Mon-el couldn't believe he was foolish enough to almost let her walk away after a kiss so electric it sparked his every single nerve ending. "That… That was incredible," he whispered against her lips between breaths. His hand moved of its own accord, slowly slithered up her spine, leaving goose bumps in its wake until he buried his hand in her golden locks. Pulling her close, he peppered small tender kisses on her lips, each eliciting a moan every time he briefly abandoned her lips. His other hand moved straight to her plump butt cheek, something he wanted to do since she turned around in that dress. Digging his fingers into her hips, he deepened his kiss, hungrily clutching on to a fistful of her hair.

Kara clenched her legs together as she felt her panties dampening. Gripping his back tighter, she could feel his muscles flexing under her touch. She had thought about this more times than she would ever acknowledge, but she was overwhelmed by how real it felt now that he was devouring her lips with such hunger, his beard tickling her chin. She softly swiped the tip of her tongue against his upper lip to request admission, he quickly obliged as their tongues tussled in perfect harmony. She wished he didn't fist her hair so gently; she wanted it rough, a desire so new and confusing to her. Craving his touch more, her nipples pebbled underneath her dress and the harder he dug his fingers onto her buttock, the more her breasts ached for his touch. Grazing his back with her nails, she made her way to his sides and finally his chest. Squeezing his rock hard chest, she smiled against his lips as his muscles jumped up in her palm.

Tugging at her luscious locks, Mon-el gently bit her lower lip. Sucking her lower lip to get one last taste, he yanked her head back to kiss his way down her neck. Not expecting a moan so loud from Kara, he smiled against her throat as he discovered his favorite sound in the world and her sexual preferences. _Rough it is_ , he noted. Sliding his hand from her hips to the small of her back he drew her closer with a jerk, their abs crashing together, as he kissed his way down to her collarbone.

Kara was getting too worked up anticipating him to pay attention to her breasts. He was taking his own sweet time getting there with every torturous kiss only setting her skin on fire. She let her arms slide down, to make her way to his perfect muscular hips. Hauling him closer, she ground her pelvis into his, only to find him already hard and twitching in his pants. She really enjoyed his muffled grunt against her breast. Something very visceral must have awakened in him because the next thing she knew, there were no tender kisses. His grip on her hair and at the small of her back grew demanding as he used nothing but his teeth to pull away the fabric barely concealing her bosom and unleashed her nipple. Her panties were instantly soaking wet as she watched him wide eyed.

Nipping lightly at the exposed nipple at first, he swallowed it completely, biting and sucking at it passionately. His fingers slipped from her tresses to plunge into the bodice and grab the unattended breast. Loving how easily it fit in the palm of his hand, he pinched her nipple a little and nibbled at the other just to test how she responded to pain. Looking up at her, he noticed her state of total euphoria. Her constant pelvic thrusts were driving him over the edge and even though he enjoyed taking it out on her breasts, he was pretty sure she was going to get a hickey on the one in his mouth as he crushed the other in his palm. He didn't wish to give in so soon, not their first time, he wanted to take his time with her, and most of all he wanted to make this night memorable for her. Maintaining his grip over the small of her back, he spun her around and backed her up against the window, prying her hands off his hips to lace their fingers together and pin them over her head to keep her in place.

Kara whined in protest as their new position put a good distance between their pelvises. "No… Mon-el… Why?" He kissed her between words, smiling against her lips at her lack of patience.

"Patience," he assured her as he went back to worshiping her breasts, much more gently and tenderly this time.

"But I need you, I need you now!" she whimpered, fighting his grip over her hands, panties drenched in a pool of her arousal. She needed him inside her this very instant.

Pulling their joined hands down to her shoulders, he captured her lips between his, "And I want you." He couldn't help but smile as he gazed into her darkened eyes, amused by her eagerness. She was so far removed from the shy girl uncomfortably pulling at the seams of her dress when he first laid eyes upon her at the ball. A dress which was far more modest than the one she was wearing right now.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Kara's eyes softened a bit, her sense of reason partially returning. As she stopped forcing her way out of his hold and leaned back against the rain kissed glass window, she felt her raging libido cooling down.

"If I can be patient when you're in that ravishing dress, surely you can allow me to thoroughly enjoy it while it's still intact." That did it for her, she instantly felt her walls grow slicker.

Silently begging him to put her out of her misery with those big blue eyes, she settled for a compromise, "If you want to thoroughly enjoy the dress, then I want you out of that shirt!" Just as he let go of her hands to unbutton the crisp white shirt, Kara ripped it off him, buttons flinging across the room. "Much better," she kissed her way down his neck, all the way to his chest as her fingers mapped every inch of his abdominal muscles.

Shrugging his shirt off his shoulders, he basked in the glory for a while. Running his hands all over her, he finally got a firm grip on her waist and spun her forcefully around. Groaning after that sudden betrayal, Kara pressed her palms into the glass to regain her balance. Before she could complain, he began kissing his way down the nape of her neck, crushing her breasts in his palms. "The deal was I take my shirt off and you let me have my way with you," he whispered in her ear.

"This is so unfair," Kara moaned as he peppered kisses all over her back. Despite her attempts at complaining, she loved how he towered over her, draping his big muscular arms over her as he left those electrifying kisses all over her back. Staring at the thunderstorm raging right in front of her, she had never felt more comfortable and safe as she did backed up against his warm skin. Comfortably leaning into him, he inched closer to kiss her shoulder as Kara started grinding her hips against his erection.

"You little minx," he whispered in her ear right before he twirled her around and caught a glimpse of the mischievous spark in her eyes. He couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey! Don't laugh at me," she protested with her head held high and her arms akimbo. "I'm not little! You need to stop looking at me like I'm a child. I might be significantly younger than you but I'm a grown woman and I have needs, which are completely valid by the way. Plus isn't it Daxam's motto or something…"

Kara's little monologue was suddenly interrupted by Mon-el who got down on one knee, "What's our motto?"

"Never be afraid to demand that your every carnal desire be met," Kara pouted, feeling proud of her sassy remark. "Also why are you kneeling?"

"Well we don't really have an official motto for sex but if we did I'm pretty sure it would be, _the more the merrier_." Kara playfully slapped his shoulder. Flashing an endearing smile, he asked, "So tell me, what are these carnal desires you need fulfilled, My Lady?"

Kara tried to figure out how exactly to phrase those depraved thoughts like a lady, "Well you can start by wiping that endearing smile off your face. I'm trying to go for full seduction here," she gestured at her dress, "and you look at me like you aren't affected by me at all."

"Full seduction, huh?" he asked as he thoughtfully looked away and nodded for a moment. Suddenly, out of the blue, he ripped her dress in two, tearing into the flimsy fabric hovering over her inner thighs, ripping it all the way to her feet. Before Kara could even fathom what just happened, his hands felt their way up her legs, gently squeezing her hips, before he hooked his fingers into her pink panties and pulled them all the way down to her strappy gold heels. "Spread your legs," he suddenly switched to an authoritative princely tone.

Kara's cheeks burned crimson and her body was throbbing with need so intense and foreign to her. Clueless about why this turned her on so much, she just stood there watching him tear her dress and pull her panties down, her skin hypersensitive and sparks flying along his palms. She usually enjoyed having complete control in almost every area of her life, then why is it that her feet instantly complied as she tried to step out of her underwear the moment he commanded her to?

"No!" Mon-el clutched her ankle, "As far apart as you can with them still on." Kissing her inner thigh, he pulled her closer by the two perfect pillows that were her hips. Oh, how he loved the look on her face and her ragged breaths right now, so he decided to push it a little further as she obeyed without question, "Whatever you do, don't move your legs an inch closer."

Anticipation for a release was too overpowering for her to protest any of it, Kara let her head fall back against the glass as he finally kissed her between her legs and his tongue began to explore her wet folds. She loved how much better it felt compared to how she imagined it while touching herself this passing week. As the tip of his tongue dexterously danced over her bundle of nerves, she was too lost in the sensations to notice her legs inching closer. She felt a burning sting on one of her butt cheeks. "Aaah! Mon-el!" she moaned as her eyes parted, she was suddenly ripped from paradise.

Looking up at her, his mouth abandoned her core, eliciting a very audible whine from her. "Too hard? Did that hurt?" he asked caressing her butt and kissing the side of her hip, afraid he went too far. The way she instantly shook her head to shrug it off, relieved him of his guilt at once.

"That was really hot! Spank harder next time," she demanded, pulling him closer to where she needed him to finish what he started. He spanked her much harder this time, "What was that for? I didn't move an inch."

He just smiled at how perfect she was and went back to thoroughly eating her out. Shoving two fingers in, he massaged her insides, searching for the magical spot within. As soon as he hit gold, he loved how desperately she tugged at his hair. Her screams and moans as she gasped for air, music to his ears.

His fingers plunged deeper and his tongue picked up the pace over her clit, her legs began to quiver and with that last spank leaving her butt hot and aching, she couldn't take it anymore. Powerless to let out a scream, she struggled to catch a breath and closed her eyes shut. The sound of the thunderstorm outside and his fingers relentlessly pumping into her wet channel, blended together like a symphony. Blissfully floating in ecstasy, her surroundings slowly grew deafeningly silent. Every single nerve ending kindled, the explosion surging inwards, igniting her core, until all she could see was a transcending white light and she completely fell apart.

Kara recovered trembling in Mon-el's arms, backed up against the window. "That was incredible," she kissed his shoulder. "More please," she moaned, her hand crawling inside his pants to feel his erection.

Loving how small and soft her palm felt as she stroked him, he absentmindedly searched for a condom on the table beside them, "I really miss my staff right about now," he groaned frustrated and in desperate need for her.

Kara was horrified, "Why? Am I doing it wrong?"

"No! No… You're absolutely perfect. I just can't find a condom."

"Does their job description actually include putting a condom on your…" Kara pointed at his penis, struggling to finish that thought.

Finally getting a hold of one, he tore off the cover with his teeth, "That's absurd, they just hand me one exactly when I need it."

Pulling his pants and underwear just below his hips, Kara stared at his length as he rolled the condom over it. "How is that any less absurd? I can't even imagine being this naked and vulnerable with someone's prying eyes on me. I would be too ashamed." Kara shrugged uncomfortably, her gaze falling to her feet.

Lurking closer, Mon-el grabbed her by the waist. "You were almost naked and very vulnerable just moments ago and I definitely had my prying eyes on you. Shame was nowhere to be found, Kara," he teased, suggestively pumping his eyebrows.

Kara playfully slapped his arm, before he seized it and snaked both of her arms around his neck. "I'm fine with your prying eyes, just yours!" There was something so heartwarming about that statement, which he couldn't completely fathom but realizing this was a side of her which she chose to share exclusively with him did things to him, very strange things. Lustfully grabbing her thighs, he picked her up and backed her against the foggy window until her ass was flat on the glass, her legs instantly wrapped around his hips.

"Aaaahhhh," she cried as he thrust in his entire length at once. Overwhelmed by how far and wide she was stretched out, her nails clawed into his back and her teeth sunk into his neck a little harder than she intended. Digging his fingers into her muscular thighs, he slowly moved. Kara dug deeper into the muscles on his back and sucked her way up his neck.

"Gods you're tight," Mon-el groaned, loving how she enveloped him, her channel perfectly squeezing his length. Despite having a pretty high tolerance for pain, her wildness was tip-toeing the line between pleasure and pain just enough to push his limits. All of this was so unreal, he didn't have complete faith this was reality. So sure it was the last he would see of her when he walked out of the throne room this evening, he would not have believed it if someone had told him he would be buried to the hilt inside Kara far into the night. Not once allowing his mind to even go there, he was too afraid of his feelings for her, to even consider she too might feel the same for him. He pushed harder, picking up the pace, relishing the way she set his desires ablaze. Losing all resolve to bury his feelings, cling to unhealthy coping mechanisms and trade what he wanted for what was expected of him, he allowed himself to finally come to terms with just how much he wanted her. His mind was finally free to indulge in nothing but his hunger for her.

Nibbling his ear, Kara murmured, "Harder, fuck me harder."

Tickling his earlobe, the moment those words escaped her mouth, hunger so fierce and animalistic took over all his sense. Hooking elbows underneath her knees, he propped her up and rammed into her until her moans turned to screams. "Do you like that?" he asked, inching dangerously close to her lips.

In that new position he was perfectly hitting her G-spot, slowly rupturing her connection to the material world one thrust at a time. "Oh… Oh… Y-yes… So much… hmmm…" she moaned grasping for his lips. His lips withdrew the moment they touched hers. She was done playing this game of patience; she deserved to have her thirst quenched exactly as she wished. Lunging at his lips with newfound blood lust, Kara bit his lower lip with enough vigor to draw blood.

"Owww…" Still thrusting into her hard, Mon-el backed up to swipe his lower lip with his thumb.

"Can't handle a little pain, Your Highness?" she mocked.

Sucking on his bloody thumb leisurely, he smirked devilishly, "Now that wasn't very diplomatic, was it?"

"What are you going to do about it?" Raking her nails from his shoulders to his lower back, Kara borrowed her fingers into his butt cheeks. "Spank me?" slapping his butt, she challenged him, now that she held an advantageous position.

Threading his demanding fingers through her hair, he leaned in to drop burning kisses on her lips and as soon as she smiled triumphantly against her lips, he completely drew his penis out. The tip barely dipped in to torment her. Whimpering and whining, Kara silently pleaded him to fill her, "Oh Kara… My sweet insatiable Kara… I don't need to spank you to punish you; I know you'll only enjoy it…" Plunging in at a torturously slow pace, he loved the way her head rolled back as she sighed with pleasure. Once again, pulling out completely, he made her body beg even longer this time, "All I have to do is pull out and step back, because I can." Thrusting in harder this time, he washed the perfect mix of panic and pleasure wash over her, "The question is: can you handle that right now?"

"No, please," she begged, instantly rewarded by another thrust. "No, no… Please Mon-el, don't stop…" she whined as he pulled out again. She pleaded at length, but his strokes were too few and far between and her pleas were slowly losing their charm. It was as if he didn't even care for them anymore, he was hell bent on torturing her.

"Apologize," he commanded, once he knew he denied her a release long enough for it to eventually be much more than the instant gratification she craved.

Gazing into his eyes, shooting adorable comets at him, she apologized, "Forgive me."

"Forgive me, what?" He demanded, not falling for those eyes she clearly knew were his weakness.

"Forgive me, Your Highness," she said in a voice so small it was barely audible.

"That's a formal title for formal relationships, not loyal subjects who pledge their allegiance to me. Do you still want to maintain a formal relationship, Diplomat?" He grilled her, picking up his pace just enough to corrupt her with incentive for good behavior.

"No, not at all." Swiftly shaking her head, she continued, "Forgive me, My Prince." Kneading his shoulders, she was doing her best to hold on for dear life as he set her loins on fire.

Flashing a victorious smirk, he propped up the knee hooked into his elbow and forked his fingers through her hair and thrust into her harder than he had ever before until she reduced to a screaming and quivering mess in his arms.

Wrapping her leg around him, she closed her eyes and held him as tight as she trembled. Losing complete control of her body, she was completely at his mercy. Kara was far from a maiden, during her thinly spread out and few brief romantic relationships, never once had she felt lust so powerful. This over powering desire to have someone so badly that she found herself fantasizing and touching herself throughout the day was completely new to her. Sex was always a satisfactory byproduct of a compatible dynamic, it was not something she could ever imagine herself begging for, let alone consumed by it in such a raw and animalistic manner. Plunging relentlessly into her, he was pushing her to the brink of her existence. As her insides began to spasm, bit by bit her link to her body splintered.

Possessively seizing her face, he went straight for her lips. "Look at me, Kara, look into my eyes." Swallowing her moans, he ordered as her insides began to flutter around him. He couldn't have her mind drift off to somewhere else or someone else, he needed to brand this orgasm as his and his alone. As her intoxicated blue eyes met his sinful grey, "Cum with me," he whispered against her lips as he plunged in at full strength a few more times before his mind was a void and he was free falling with her in his arms.

Except for the look in his eyes keeping her grounded, she had absolutely no hold over her body. It was a slow death in realm of the flesh, before she came back to life in the spiritual, with nothing but those grey eyes guiding her back into world of the living.

Holding him tight, Kara drew circles on his back as she recovered. His forehead resting on the window, he let out ragged breaths against her neck. Her own ecstasy heightening as she witnessed the hot mess that was the prince of Daxam completely falling apart in her arms. Wincing as he pulled out, breaking their connection, she loved how tenderly he kissed her cheek before he threw away the condom and walked them to his bed. "No, not the bed," she took one look at the giant bed and it reminded her of the morning she walked into his chambers to witness a parade of paramours marching out. Looking at a very confused Mon-el looking at her like a lost puppy, "The fireplace," she decided.

Her dress lay shredded to pieces on the floor, leading the way to a happy trail of his shoes, pants, underwear and her heels. Lying on her stomach, Kara's fingers dug into the fluffy white rug, as Mon-el kissed his way up her lower back. "Why do you have such an outrageously colossal bed?"

Dropping a kiss over the curve of her spine, he answered absentmindedly, "The bigger the better."

"That's totally an orgy bed isn't it?" She pressed, unable to shake it off.

"Umm-hmmm," he murmured, slowly peppering kisses to scale up to her upper back.

"Do you host orgies often in here?" she inquired.

"I haven't hosted an orgy in over a decade, they just sort of happen," he answered between kisses on her upper back.

Kara quivered at the delicious sensation of his lips on her upper back, "How many orgies can just fall in a person's lap?"

"Lost count," he softly nibbled at her shoulder.

"Oh," Kara exclaimed in a small wounded voice. Her heart sunk in her chest for some reason. Unable to understand why it bothered her so much, she reminded herself that she was just trying to get him out of her system on her last night on Daxam.

Suddenly Mon-el snapped out of his quest to explore her body, "Does it bother you? Is that why you wanted me to carry you here?" He rolled over to lie beside her, facing her with his elbow propped to support his weight.

"No… No, why would it bother me?" she continued to stare at her laced fingers to avoid looking at him.

Tucking her hair behind her ear to get a good look at her face, he confessed, "All the orgies that took place in this room pale in comparison to what we just shared. You're so special, Kara." Hooking his finger gently against her chin, he turned her face to look into her eyes, "You'll always be in my heart. I can't even find the words to tell you how much I craved you."

Beaming ear to ear, Kara decided to tease him to lighten the mood. "So when was the first time you thought about this?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

"About what? Making love to you?" He asked as his free hand lazily lay over her hips.

"Yes," she gazed into his eyes, doubtfully exhilarated to find out.

"To be honest, I didn't really think about it until tonight when you striped out of that cloak," he confessed looking over at the stolen cloak still lying on the sofa behind them. He admired her naked form against the soft light from the fireplace. Recalling how strongly that dress affected him, he concluded it definitely looked much better lying on his bedroom floor.

"Ouch," Kara dramatically brought a fist to her heart, "That's one way to make a girl feel special."

Mon-el laughed, if only she knew, "I might not have allowed myself to indulge in fantasies, but you don't know the half of all the cruel ways the thought of you has been tormenting me."

"Since when?" she asked in a voice barely audible.

"Since you fell from the sky," he laughed along with her. He felt silly saying it out loud, "When was the first time you thought about it?"

Uncomfortably looking away, her eyebrows crinkled together, "Same as you, tonight…" she shrugged her shoulders.

"Liar!" He slapped her butt once, before he went back to caressing it.

"Ok fine! I might have thought about it once at the ball, but that's on you, you seduced me!" Kara pointed a finger at him as she pouted adorably.

"I was consciously keeping the tango as platonic and formal as possible, what are you talking about?" Mon-el quipped with such mock innocence in his eyes.

"Well if that was you consciously trying to keep things platonic, I would really like to know what the seduction looks like," Kara teased him, running her finger over his chest.

Flipping her over, he pinned her down. "I could show you," he teased, dropping steamy kisses on her neck as his fingers sneaked into her silky curls.

Kara held on to his bicep, as his fingers massaged her scalp, "Alright I lied, I might have thought about this a lot more than once…"

Smiling against her neck, he rose up to gaze into her eyes, "I could be wrong but I have to know, did you almost kiss me when we danced?"

Biting her lip, Kara answered reluctantly, "Yes…." Seeing how pleased by was by her confession, she complained, "Not only did you back off but you ran off on me," she pouted.

"Let me make it upto you," he leaned in to kiss her long and hard. "Better?"

"Not even close," Kara smirked.

Grinding his pelvis against her, he promised, "Don't worry, we have a long and eventful night ahead of us." Sliding his palm up her thigh, he gripped her hip, "And since you hate my bed so much, you can sleep when you're back on Krypton."

At dawn, the thunderstorm finally passed and the scarlet sunlight crept through the windows. Kara and Mon-el were still in the throes of passion. Having christened every flat surface in the room except for his bed, they had completely lost count of their orgasms. The first light only acted as a reminder of the clock running on them, their passion grew exponentially with every passing moment, touch more demanding, kisses deeper, orgasms more intense and heart heavier. They were inseparable and they refused to let go, until it was absolutely necessary.

Kara wished she had more time with him and that very instant a Kryptonian pod launched into the red sky. One can never be too careful what they wish for….


	15. Chapter 15

**The Well of Stars**

Giggles echoed throughout the dimly lit royal bathroom as fragrant mist slithered through the sheer curtains enveloping the giant bathtub, countless candles glimmering around it, illuminating the foggy cocoon Kara and Mon-el had created for themselves. The fog clinging to the surface was bubbling thanks to the strategically positioned jet streams.

Pulling her closer, Mon-el wrapped his arms around Kara, "What do you mean we can't stay in here forever?"

Resting her cheek against his chest, Kara snuggled in with him, "I was supposed to leave for Krypton at first light."

"I didn't see the sun come up, in my book it never happened," he denied with such conviction as his fingers tenderly threaded through her hair.

Looking up at him with adoring disbelief, "You can't just shut the blinds and dim the light and pretend that the sun never came up Mon-el."

"Did I ever tell you that this room is called _The Well of Stars_? Time doesn't pass here," he planted a kiss on her swollen lips. Holding her tighter, he refused to let her go, afraid she would walk out and never return.

"You can't just name your bathroom after the well of stars and expect it to work the same way," Kara chuckled.

Shaking his head in disbelief, he said, "Don't blame me, I don't make the rules!"

"You did… You just did…" Kara playfully slapped his bicep wrapped protectively around her.

"You know what else I did? I worked so hard… so hard," he stressed, "to draw you a bath, a little appreciation would be nice."

"Oh, Your Highness, did you get blisters on your fragile hands?" Kara pulled his hand from her hip to examine it. "You are so spoilt, I swear!"

"You mock me now but you would know if you tried to locate anything in my chambers without asking for help from the staff. It's even worse when I know that I could just buzz them in if you would just let me." He rambled on at length as Kara moved away to sit beside him, only to stop when she burst into laughter.

"That is the most elitist problem I have ever heard," she couldn't stop herself from laughing.

"Do you want to hear about a very real problem? A complete and utter pain in my ass?" He tilted his head in question with mischief in his eyes.

Doubtfully, Kara asked, "What?"

"You!" He jumped her as they both rolled over in the tub, limbs intertwined, tussling to stay above the surface, squealing and laughing.

"Stop it!" Kara smacked him repeatedly to stop him from goofing around. When he raised both his arms in defeat and backed away, Kara teased, "You know I actually miss you being all serious and formal now that I know what a goofus you are." Kara crossed her arms over her breasts as she narrowed her eyes in mock anger.

His eyes softened as he inched closer and pulled her hands away to embrace her and pull her over his lap, "Don't go." Resting his chin over her head, he confessed, "I'm going to miss you so much." With a heavy heart, he let out a deep breath.

"I thought I was a pain in the ass," Kara whispered against his neck.

"Hey, you might be a pain in the ass but you are _my_ pain in the ass now," he smiled against her forehead as he kissed her.

"Wow! How romantic, can you see me swooning?" Kara drew back from the hug to look him in the eye, "Do you remember the last time we were in a tub together?" she reminisced.

"Urgh! The pool at the spa?" he winced.

"Ouch! I didn't know I was such bad company," Kara clutched her heart, pretending to be devastated.

"No! You're always delightful," he kissed her, gripping her thighs underwater, which spread to seize his as she sat on his lap. "But you are much better company when there is neither distance nor clothes between us." Running his hands up her thighs to grasp her hips, "I was already tormented by so many new and confusing feelings after our almost kiss, I didn't even know there were this many feelings to be had." Looking down, he shook his head in discomfort, feeling vulnerable saying it out loud. "What did you do? Just as I found a successful way to distract myself, you showed you in a bikini," he looked up at Kara with accusing eyes. "Thank the Gods you decided to stay completely submerged."

"You weren't the only one confused," Kara recoiled, offended. "What did I walk into? You were just sitting there," Kara waved a hand up in the air, "getting a massage, showing off all your muscles." She poked a condemning finger into his chest, "And it gets better, you just waltz out of that pool butt naked, without a care in the world."

Mon-el smirked, looking at her to hesitantly ask, "Did that really affect you?"

"Affect me? Why do you think I stayed back?" Kara pouted, going red in the face.

"Why?" Mon-el jerked back in disbelief, "You didn't… In the pool… While getting a head massage…" trying to piece it together, he gasped at the realization, "That's why you were glowing, and you got so defensive about the compliment."

Kara shrugged it off and beamed, "No one was more surprised than me."

"What did you fantasize about?" Mon-el inched closer, clearly intrigued by this development.

Kara opened her mouth to speak a few times, struggling to form words, "I-I'm I'm so not telling you that!" she declared.

Pulling her closer by the hips, he leaned in and whispered, "You've been so vocal about all your desires, why shy away now?"

Growing scarlet with shame, Kara looked away, her cheeks burning, her insides squirming, "It's embarrassing."

"It's hot, so hot," he ground his hips so she could feel his erection growing.

"How are you hard again? No, how? You have climaxed like a bajillion times!" Kara quipped.

"Where does that exaggeration place your count?" Mon-el raised an eyebrow, "I've made sure there's a huge disparity in our ratio and that you win by a landslide. Don't make it sound like I'm the only one enjoying this." One of his hands abandoned her hip to dip his thumb between her legs to feel her swollen and hypersensitive clitoris.

"Hey I'm not complaining," Kara moaned, "just curious."

"Don't get off topic and tell me about what helped you get off in the pool," Mon-el whispered in her ear.

Chucking, Kara hugged him tighter, "This…."

"What? Tell me," he murmured.

"You holding me, whispering in my ear and touching me underwater, that's what I fantasized about when I…" Kara confessed between moans, unable to complete that sentence.

"When you… Say it!" He instructed in a soft voice.

"When I touched myself," her gaze fell as she tried to bury her face in her palms.

He smiled at her endearingly and scaled up to sit at the edge of the tub to grab a condom from a tray full of erotic goodies on the deck. He placed it in her palm as soon as she reemerged from her bashful shell and turned around to fetch two bottles of lube.

"How do you have condoms and bottles of lubricants stacked conveniently in every nook and cranny of your personal chambers?" Kara demanded.

Mon-el inspected her face suspiciously, weighing a bottle of lube in each hand, "This sounds an awful lot like the time you tricked me into talking about the size of my bed, only to be disheartened by my honesty." Even though the theatrics of monogamy were lost on him, he was beginning to get a grasp on reading between the lines while conversing with a partner from a monogamous society.

Coyly smiling like someone caught red-handed, Kara rolled the condom over his penis, concentrating hard in order to avoid eye contact, "I get it! You often have company in your timeless _Well of Stars_ , I get it!" She shrugged it off, realizing that their little cocoon wasn't just their little secret.

Sliding back into the water, "My elitist and spoilt princely hands have never drawn someone a bath but I regret nothing, I love that this is just our little intimate bubble with no one but us in here." All this privacy was weird for him at first, but he soon realized that for the first time in a really long time he could just be Mon-el, without the burdens of his title. He could allow himself to get vulnerable, to talk about his feelings and to goof around like he hadn't in years.

Kara loved the warmth of being back in their bubble but hated that she needed to hear those reassuring words to regain her sense of security. She knew well who he was when she ran into his arms and kissed him, even though he advised her against it. Realizing that this was probably the very last of their time together, she dismissed every insecure thought and took a good look at the two bottles still in his hands, "So what are my options here?"

"This one heats things up a bit," he raised one of the bottles, "and this one cool things down a little bit," raising his other hand. He carefully weighed their options until she pointed at the second one.

Pointing both her index fingers in the general direction of her crotch, Kara came to the decision, "Let's cool things down in there, we can heat up the tub."

"I like the way you think," Mon-el threw back the unwanted bottle behind him and turned up the heat on the panel beside him. Slapping her hip underwater, "Out of the water, I need to prepare you."

Planting her palms firmly on the bathtub floor, Kara propped her hips up, suggestively wiggling them in front of him. She waited in anticipation as she heard him squirt a generous amount of lube and put the bottle aside. Hissing at first contact, "I didn't know how badly I needed this after last night. Umm-hmmmm, I expected it to be colder though."

Massaging her well with two fingers, making sure she's properly lubricated, Mon-el was so pleased with her moans he dropped a little kiss on her clitoris.

Swollen and hypersensitive, her bundle of nerves instantly sparked up as her hips jerked up to and her back arched, tips of her hair slowly submerging underwater. Kissing his way up to her belly button, he dug his fingers into her waist and pulled her closer, positioning her slick pussy over his tip.

Kara groaned as he slowly lowered her over his cock. As she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, his fingers slid to her hips still only half submerged, globular and red, like the sun setting over the horizon. Mon-el lowered his until she was stuffed to the hilt. "I know you turned up the heat in the tub but why is it warming up in there?" she whispered in his ear, running her fingers over the velvety texture of the short hair at the back of his head.

Stealing a kiss, Mon-el smiled, "That's my condom."

"What happened to keeping things cool in here?" Kara nibbled his ear, hips undulating at a slow sensual pace.

"Things are cool in there, without a condom it would feel like a late night swim," sucking at a nipple teasing too close to his lips, "I can't have myself shrinking on you now, can I?"

"No, you can't," holding him possessively, Kara moved in for a demanding kiss as she straddled him lovingly until time really came to a standstill and she completely lost all sense of how long she had been tenderly mounting him. In that moment, she really wanted to stay in here with him forever, it wasn't like Krypton would stop spinning if she didn't return on time but her world without doubt would stop spinning if she left him behind. She planned to get him out of her system before she left, only to quench her carnal thirst, but he only managed to seep in deeper, planting seeds of something more in her heart, seeds that were slowly but surely sprouting roots against her better judgment. She was actually beginning to picture the possibility of a life with him, all of her doubts and practical reminders slowly fading away. "I had a really nice time last night," she said in a small voice against his lips, "I don't want to leave, not yet…."

"I don't want you to leave," gazing up into her insanely blue eyes; his passion grew with sudden hunger. "Turn over," he instructed.

Whining as he peeled her off him, fingers raking through her hips. As soon as she begrudgingly separated from him and turned around, he bent her over. Clutching the edge of the tub, Kara waited in anticipation when Mon-el fiddled with the controls and suddenly she felt a strong stream hit her lower abdomen, leaving Kara very confused. Pulling her up to position her clit in the path of the stream, Mon-el pushed into her with one urgent stroke, hitting her G-spot. "Merciful Rao!" She cried at the sudden onslaught of sensation on both ends, the warm stream perfectly simmering her core as his heated strokes mercilessly plunged into her cool channel. Closing her eyes shut, she could feel her insides flutter, waves of pleasure crashing over her.

"Don't hold out for me, have this… I'll join you in the next one," Mon-el groaned, as he held her hips, his thrusts growing harder and faster.

Kara came as soon as he said the words. Her pleasure peaked but she was unable to come down from it and recover given that he firmly held her in place in front of the jet stream and had no intentions of slowing down. She kept surfing over smaller waves of pleasure, wanting it to come to an end, so that she could ride out her orgasm once and for all but there was a greedy part of her which wanted nothing more than for her to be stuck in this drawn out endless loop of pleasure. Floating over the void which was the incentive of another peak and the comfort of a crash, she was in a state of total nirvana. With her mouth wide open, she struggled to let out the silent screams, refusing to escape.

Gripping her waist, he pulled her in to match his thrusts, driving both of them over the edge. He could feel her simmering contractions rising with fervor once again and this time with several animalistic groans and grunts he unloaded himself inside her, just as Kara finally let out a throaty moan.

Collapsing into the water beside her, he reemerged only when he ran out of air. Snuggling close to Kara, who was still clutching the edge of the tub and recovering from her orgasm, he kissed her cheek and pulled her into a hug. "Now what?" Kara asked, breathless, reeling over her hormonal decision of not leaving yet.

"Now we get cleaned up," he winked at her, leaving her side to add bubble bath to their oils and bath salt enriched tub. Moving away from her, he realized that there was no way she was going to stay just for him despite her confession in the throes of passion and it broke his heart because he wished for nothing more.

Moaning with pleasure as Mon-el massaged her foam covered scalp, Kara grabbed a handful of froth and plopped it back on his head, "There, I shampooed your hair too." She tilted her head back to look up at his grumpy face.

"Wow! Excellent technique Kara and here I was wasting so much time struggling with your hair," he complained, backing away to lean back against the edge of the tub with folded arms.

"You kept asking about your turn even though I just gave you a massage," Kara pouted, splashing water at him.

Huffing out a dramatic breath, "You just felt up my chest, at length, and kept asking me to bounce my pecs for you," shaking his head in disbelief, "that is not what a massage is."

"Hey," pointing an offended index finger at him, she corrected him, "I also felt your biceps, don't forget about that."

"I would be lying if I said I didn't enjoy washing you down so intimately, but it would be great if you weren't so mean to me," he smiled, stretching her arms out for her.

Swiftly crawling into his arms, Kara snuggled in and drew circles on his chest, "Not so much fun when you're on the receiving end now, is it?"

Pushing the doors open, Stefan stormed into the bathroom enraged, "Why are the Royal Guards not guarding your chambers? And why are you on radio silence? Everyone is concerned for your safety…."

Kara squealed, hiding behind Mon-el and concealing herself under the froth, "How did you get in here?"

Stefan gasped, feet recoiling as his scandalized gaze darted between the two of them, "Sleeping with the enemy, are we now?" he taunted Mon-el as soon as he recovered from the discovery that took the wind out of your sails.

"She's not the enemy," Mon-el jumped to her defense.

"I'm sure you're a totally unbiased about it. I mean, clearly your state of undress screams impartial professionalism," he smirked. "Not that I'm complaining, I'm happy you two banged it out, all that pining was getting nauseatingly annoying."

Kara was quick to correct, "There was no pining."

"Sure there wasn't," Stefan quipped.

Mon-el added, "I know what this looks like but I'm not biased, she wasn't spying for Krypton."

"Sure you aren't and sure she isn't. My Prince, I am certain last night you asked the IT team to return her pendant before she leaves for Krypton because she produced solid evidence of not being a spy," tapping his lips with his index finger, he waited for Mon-el to answer.

Throwing his arms up in the air, Mon-el groaned, "We scrubbed all the data, got rock solid alibis for Shadow and you, acquired the means to discredit her if push comes to shove and ordered all the spies we deployed on Krypton to return since the mission was compromised, there was no reason to hold her."

Pouting his lips thoughtfully, he asked, "And what of you?"

"I can talk my way out of a baseless rumor, Stefan! Plus, we couldn't just hold Alura's daughter indefinitely," Mon-el tried to reason with him.

Stefan's lips reduced to a thin line, as he thoughtfully nodded. With short measured steps, he walked over to the deck, pulled away the sheer curtains and sat down on a dry patch next to Mon-el, "That reminds me, Alura left you a message thanking you for the gift basket. She loved the assortment of all her favorite things from Daxam and she was touched by the thoughtful gesture…."

Kara interrupted, tugging at Mon-el's shoulder, "Why did you send a gift basket to my mother?"

Looking back at her hidden form buried behind him, "I thought it would be a good diplomatic gesture after signing the peace treaty."

Stefan rolled his eyes, "Yes, he totally does that for everyone." Looking over at Kara, before switching his gaze back to Mon-el, his voice dripped with sarcasm as he said, "You're so diplomatic, Mon-el."

Mon-el tilted his head, exasperated, "Did Alura send over the data on stabilization of Krypton's core?" He needed to shift the situation in a less awkward direction.

"Yes, she did," Stefan stated matter-of-factly.

"Did you intercept it successfully?" Mon-el asked.

"Yes, we did." Stefan confirmed.

Kara pushed her way out, tightly hugging her chest even though she was mostly covered in foam, "Why did you two intercept that information?" she asked timidly.

Stefan couldn't hide his amusement, "Aww, you're so adorable. I can't remember the last time a saw a woman blush so fiercely and consumed by such shame because I saw her bare shoulders. So scandalous! Kryptonian shoulders," he teased as Kara eyes shrunk to grumpy judgmental slits.

"Stop teasing her," Mon-el warned, raising an index finger to him. Turning to Kara, he explained, "We intercepted it to make sure mother doesn't abuse that information in any way."

Picking up the bottle of lube lying next to him, Stefan noted, "Hey, this is my favorite too!" Offering a fist at Kara, inviting her to bump it, Stefan continued, "It leaves a great aftertaste doesn't it?"

Mon-el buried his head in his hands and checked out of the conversation, allowing the two of them to hash this out on their own.

Bursting into laughter, Kara finally bumped Stefan's fist which was still hanging in the air. "Yes, it does," she bashfully confessed.

Peeking through his fingers to make sure it was real; Mon-el looked up and suspiciously moved his gaze between the two of them.

"How did you get in here? I locked the room last night," Kara asked Stefan.

"I have the keys," Stefan shrugged his shoulders. "I spend almost as much time in these chambers as I do in mine," he stretched his hands out vaguely point at their surroundings.

"Where exactly are your chambers?" Kara asked, suddenly realizing she had no idea where Stefan lived, he most definitely didn't live in the East Wing.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" He flirted.

"No, I'm serious, Stefan. You don't live in the East Wing, where do you live?" Kara pressed.

"I sleep upside down hanging by the salmon ladder in the training arena," he said with an ironic nod, "wearing a cape because I'm a vampire."

"Yes and I sleep above the clouds because I can fly!" Kara retorted.

"Fine, the West Wing belongs to me. I share it with my most trusted military advisors. The finest assassins in the galaxy and yet we best known for our parties," he swiftly swiped his hand in the air to make a point.

Trying to understand their dynamic, Kara eased back to lean back against the tub. "Why don't you two live in the same Wing or the same chambers?"

Stefan and Mon-el burst into laughter, "That's absurd," they echoed together.

"Why is it so absurd?" She propped up her knees to hug them and rest her chin.

Stefan tried to think of the best way to put it, "I hold a very powerful position, and I can't just stop being my own person to shack up with Mon-el, who also has a title to uphold. There are soldiers who are expected to die at my command; they wouldn't respect me enough to do so if I lose myself in my personal life."

Mon-el queued in, "I don't have any such reservations, since I'm just the Prince and I hold no real power at the moment, but the West Wing is no place for a pacifist, that's for sure."

Pointing at Kara, Stefan added, "I mean you too have a similar conundrum ahead of you given your situation, enjoy the sexual bliss of your freshly brewed honeymoon period here in the East Wing or do what's expected of you by your people…."

"And return to Krypton," Kara finished his sentence in a small disheartened voice.

"No! Hold the fort at the Kryptonian Embassy outside the palace, Ambassador." Judging from horrified expression on Kara's face, Stefan asked, "You don't know, do you?"

"What are you talking about?" Letting go of her old over her knees, Kara couldn't care less for her modesty.

"Oh yes, I forgot we confiscated your communication device," slapping his forehead, he plucked her pendant from his pocket and offered it to her. "The Kryptonian Emissary resigned after the Peace Treaty was signed. Last night, he was instantly released by your general, with no expectation to serve a notice period. His pod left at first light. After Mon-el abruptly recalled the Daxamite diplomatic party last night, all of it spooked the lower ranking Kryptonian diplomats, and they too applied for transfers or long term leaves of absence. Surprisingly the Kryptonian General approved them as well. They all left shortly after the emissary did and your embassy, at this point, is a wasteland."

Quickly checking her emails as Stefan spoke, Kara absentmindedly muttered, "As per Kryptonian law, as the last standing diplomat on Daxam, I'm the new acting Ambassador until a replacement is sent or I serve an obligatory period of three months, whichever comes first. I can't believe he had the audacity to end his email with ' _I'm sure this promotion will come as a welcome surprise considering your love for Daxam'_. How could he be this petty about the prevention of a war?"

Stefan whispered in Mon-el's ear, "You want me to send him a gift basket, don't you?"

"You read my mind," Mon-el replied, before he turned back to look at Kara, trying his best to contain his joy given her current state of fury.

"Why are you smiling?" Kara demanded, the moment her enraged gaze fell upon his lips, still failing to wipe that smile off his face.

"Look at the silver lining," cheerfully counting his points on his fingers, "you just got a promotion, you get to stay and we can date," Mon-el bargained.

Stefan's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "What do you mean date?"

"It's like a Kryptonian courtship," Mon-el explained.

"I'm sure the sex was good but isn't it too early to proposition marriage," Stefan tried to advise Mon-el, sure that he was making hasty decisions in a state of post coital intoxication.

"No, it's like an open ended courtship with no commitment other than monogamy," Mon-el clarified.

"I'm struggling to find a silver lining," Stefan quipped, "but whatever floats your boat."

"How are you alright with this?" Tilting her head quizzically, she asked Stefan.

"First of all, I have my hands full with paramours at the moment and secondly, Mon-el and I have been fooling around since before you were even born, we've had breaks much longer than three months throughout the years," Stefan put a hand over Mon-el's shoulder.

"Fights?" Pulling more froth over her bosom, Kara nonchalantly asked.

Mon-el shook his head, "We've fought only four times 'til this day, it's usually an argument leading to prolonged silent treatment, which ends up being more awkward for the Royal Guards than us, until one of us decides to start talking again."

Stefan noticed Kara's confusion growing, so he clarified, "It happens in long term relationships, things fizzle out and reignite in cycles and then sometimes there are external factors, like after Katherine's death Mon-el lost all desire for intimacy for two years or so. If there is a backbone of friendship or common goals driving a couple, there's no need to be together all the time. You two crazy kids have my blessing to go ahead… and date," his hand hung in the air, fiddling to find the right words.

"Do you think we should throw a parade?" Mon-el gasped as if he stumbled upon an excellent idea.

Kara was horrified, "Parade? No! Why?"

Stefan chipped in, "Yes, she has a point. We throw parties when people enter courtships on their own accord, which weren't chosen for them at birth. This is completely different." He looked up to think about it for a moment, "What the hell, let's throw a parade! It's technically a courtship, even though it's boring, monogamous and Kryptonian."

Kara uncomfortably spoke up, "Can we just keep this quiet?" Not having planned to be in a relationship tomorrow, Kara's resolve was slowly fading away. She was clueless about the prospect of having Mon-el as a partner outside this little bubble, she didn't know what she felt about being the acting Kryptonian Emissary on Daxam for the next three months and, realistically, their romantic future seemed so bleak.

Mon-el hesitantly asked, "What? You don't want people to know?" Self doubt kicked in, and his mind instantly jumped to its darkest corners. He was more confused than ever about what it was that she wanted. Based on the conversation they had about romantic relationships at the ball, he concluded that dating was her preferred form of mating and last night she confessed she felt drawn towards him. He read enough about Kryptonian relationship etiquette to know that a demand for secrecy was never good news. They might not celebrate relationships in grandiose displays like Daxamites did but it was common to subtly make it known that one was no longer available.

Sensing his disheartened and doubtful tone, Kara instantly corrected "No… No… I do, it's not that, it's just… just for now…."

"You two clearly need to talk," Stefan got back on his feet, desperate to escape the awkwardness. Pointing at the door, he mumbled, "I'm just going to go," and scurried away.


	16. Chapter 16

**Cold Showers and Shattered Hearts**

Getting up on his feet as soon as Stefan left, Mon-el turned on the cascading showers and stepped out the second all the soap was rinsed. He ripped a towel from the shelf with much more animosity than it deserved.

"Are you upset?" Kara stood confused as water showered over her from every direction, having no more understanding of what he felt than she had of her own feelings.

Upset? That would be an understatement. He was glad he had his back turned on her, he felt like a complete an utter idiot for making assumptions and allowing himself to get this vulnerable. "No, I'm fine," he assured. Wrapping his towel around his waist now that he was dried off, he left the bathroom without even looking back at her. He couldn't let her see him, not yet.

Furiously clutching to her towel, Kara soon followed him back into the room, "Why are you upset about my request for privacy?"

Mon-el took a deep breath to calm down before he turned around, "I'm not upset in any way. I'll even call a meeting for guards and staff to address last night's events." His voice curt and polite, nothing like the Mon-el fooling around with her in the bathtub moments ago, but the man she knew before last night.

"Isn't that the opposite of privacy?" Kara asked with a hint of frustration in her voice.

Rubbing his forehead, Mon-el stated in a defeated voice, "The staff tidied up the room when Stefan came in and left you a new dress," he pointed at the dress meticulously laid out on the bed behind him. "There were guards right outside that door," he lazily gestured at the bedroom door, "and we weren't exactly very discreet." Clearing his throat, he continued, "Sensitive information doesn't leave the East Wing but my sex life has never been a private matter, if I don't put a lid on it now, it's only a matter of time before the gossip spreads throughout the palace." Mon-el looked around the room uncomfortably, before he clapped his hands together, "I'll just go get dressed."

For a moment there, Kara was glad that he got onboard with her desire to keep things just between the two of them, she needed time to figure things out but she soon realized there was something really off about Mon-el. Closing the distance between them, Kara softly touched his forearms, "Hey, talk to me. There's something clearly bothering you."

Gaze dropping to her hands, "Last night, you were talking about physical attraction when you confessed you feel drawn towards me, weren't you?" All of her confessions suddenly made more sense now, than they did to him the previous night; she never talked about of her feelings, only how much she wanted him.

"Yes," Kara answered timidly, completely baffled by the question. "What did you think I was talking about?"

Steel grey eyes pained and tortured looked up at her, "I thought you cared about me."

"Of course I care about you," Kara reassured him.

Looking away, Mon-el shook his head uncomfortably, "But not in the same way that I feel about you."

Piecing up every single confession he made since last night, she finally understood what he meant, he wanted a romantic partnership, "I-I I just… I didn't…."

"Expect there to be a tomorrow? Anticipate not returning to Krypton? Wanted to get me out of your system?" He nonchalantly offered her options, shrugging his shoulders as if the answers to those questions wouldn't completely crush his heart.

Looking to her feet, Kara whispered, "I just didn't think that far ahead. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you in any way."

"No… No, it's OK… It's fine… I'm fine… We're fine…" Mon-el awkwardly shifted his weight from one foot to another. "You don't need to apologize for anything. I was just trying to understand what this was," he stated, gesturing his hand between the two of them. "I shouldn't have made assumptions. Forgive me, after the conversation we had at the ball, I just assumed…" scratching his beard, he struggled to find the right words.

"That I'm a prude and intimacy is synonymous with dating for me?" Kara asked.

Mon-el stared at her, unsure of how he was supposed to answer that question, "I mean you told me so."

"Do you ask every person you sleep with, to date you?" Trying to make him understand her point, Kara pressed further.

"No!" Mon-el instantly corrected her, offended by the insinuation.

"Because Daxamites sleep with each other simply for pleasure and you don't resent a Daxamite for it," Kara explained, unable to understand the double standard.

"But you're not a Daxamite, you're a Kryptonian! You told me about your preferred mating etiquette, I was just trying to be culturally appropriate," Mon-el stretched his hands up in the air, frustrated and confused about whatever it was that Kara wanted from him.

"Culturally appropriate?" Kara snorted. "That's romantic!"

Mon-el let out a deep infuriated breath, trying really hard to keep his voice low, "You… You are twisting my words. It wasn't just about that and you know it!"

"What was it about? Tell me Mon-el! We talked about dating… you were fascinated by the idea… you probably read a book about it… and you thought it would be a good experiment to try out." Kara crossed her arms and propped out her hips, she shifted her entire body weight on one leg.

Tumbling down to sit at the edge of his bed, he buried his face in his hands, struggling to understand his feelings, let alone vocalize them. "I'm sorry if I made you feel that, I really am, it was not my intention. I just really like you and I wanted to be with you in a way that would make you happy." Looking up at her like a lost puppy, "I don't know what I feel, I can't describe it, I didn't even know there were this many feelings to be had." Shaking it off, he pleaded with her, "From the moment we met, I felt drawn towards you, I just wanted to know you entirely. Here on Daxam, we don't indulge in feelings this much and relationships are simple and straightforward. Maybe it happened the way you said it did, but when we talked about romance, I just really loved the idea of that kind of intimacy. There was something so heartwarming about it. I craved it, I craved it with you. And yes, I read a book about it," pointing vaguely at the bookshelves around him, "I'm a bookworm, that's what I do. Maybe I thought about it a little more than I should have, but I never expected to act on those feelings. Last night I got a little more hopeful than I should have and I got carried away."

"Hey… Hey…" Kara moved closer. Touching his face so lightly, as if he would crumble if her grip was firmer, she pulled his face up to get a good look at him, "I don't want you to apologize for your feelings, I just wanted you to understand where my reservations come from and why I'm struggling now that we have three months instead of night together."

Blinking repeatedly, he tried to balance the scales between understanding her and shielding his heart, "Why?"

"We have this taste at a limited future and we can play house all we want for the next three months but our time will definitely come to an end at some point. The idea of walking away from you was hard after a night, when pleasure was my only goal," letting out a shaky breath, "I don't know if I want to find out how the next separation feels if I allow myself to get more invested."

"Kara, don't shut the door on us just because the future seems bleak. We can work something out," Mon-el bargained.

Kara looked away to stare out the windows, "Easy for you to say, Mon-el!"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Mon-el asked, taken aback by that response.

"You have Stefan to go back to after this little vacation," Kara gestured between the two of them, "comes to an end. Stefan will be there for you, like nothing ever happened. I don't have that luxury!"

"Stefan is fine with us," Mon-el shook his head, trying to find a way to clear things up but she instantly cut him off.

"You don't get it do you?" A question that only met with a baffled look plastered on Mon-el's face. "Stefan is your best friend, your confidante, your first love and the two of you will always have each other's back. Katherine was your great love, your wife, your partner, the woman who gave you a cause, a legacy to uphold, a mission, and someone with who you shared common goals. Her loss left you devastated and she'll always have this irreplaceable place in your heart. I'm just someone you are fascinated by, there's no solid backbone of friendship and love that Stefan talked of, and it's merely attraction. Maybe it's not even me you want, but the concept of dating…." Kara's gaze fell to her feet in defeat.

Pulling her closer by the waist, Mon-el urged her to hear him out, "No, Kara… No…. Every love is unique; it can't be broken down into measurable quantities and compared objectively. Stefan and I have a strong backbone of years of friendship. Katherine and I had common goals to achieve for bringing a new world order to Daxam and I will not rest until that dream is a reality, a dream for which my wife sacrificed her life. But what we have, it's not fascination, it's not a vacation, it's not an experiment, and it's definitely not just physical attraction, at least not for me… It's real, Kara… It's very real." Pulling her palm to his heart, he continued, "You have an irreplaceable place in my heart and if we don't even try to build towards a solid foundation of friendship and common goals when instinct demands it and strangle these feelings as they begin to bloom, then what's even the point to being alive and having the choice to love?"

"You think this is more than sex," shrugging him off, Kara tried to invalidate his declaration, before he cut her off.

"No! Don't you dare tell me what I feel!" Getting back up on his feet, he touched her cheek so tenderly, "I might not be a perfect person and I might not have my feelings completely figured out but I know what I feel for you and I know what I want, I want you Kara Zor-El. I want to fill every moment of your life with joy. I want to hold you through the pain. I want to know every inch of you, in every way imaginable. You can't tell me it is fascination or curiosity because I am old enough to know what those words mean, as I know the depth of emotions you evoke in me."

Knowing full well how sincere his intentions were, Kara stared at his bed blankly and thought long and hard about who he was and what dating him would entail. Complicated was too simple a word to describe his personal life. He had his orgies, the ghost of his dead wife and Stefan to fall back on once these three months came to an end. The only thing she would end up with would be a Mon-el shaped hole in her heart and a one way ticket to Krypton. Allowing herself to explore her sexual desires was one thing but is his words alone were seeping so deep into her heart; she couldn't fathom how capable he was of ruining her for future suitors with his actions. She reminded herself that if she walked away now it would be easier, much easier. "Mon-el, do you remember what you said to me before you let me go last night?"

Mon-el's resolve weakened at the reminder, "That my life is a black hole of misery? That you're better off running for the hills?" With a heavy heart he came to the realization how true it really was, "You deserve better than me," he whispered. Consumed by his selfish desires, he completely forgot the reality of his existence. Other than pleasure and the privilege his title granted, there wasn't much he really had left to offer, not as the broken man that stared him in the mirror on a daily basis. Even his mother, the one woman compelled by maternal duty to love him, couldn't find an ounce of love for him. He still carried battle scars from that failed relationship, emotional ones running deeper than the ones on his flesh. Katherine, the last woman who loved him and pledged her life to him was executed on his mother's orders. Stefan was stuck with him since they were too young and innocent to predict that life would only grow crueler with passing years, they fell in love when they didn't even know what love was, he wasn't sure someone lacking that naiveté would give him their heart.

Building her walls up as high as she could, she forced the words out of her mouth, "Mon-el… Romantically, I'm not so sure we're a good match."

In a single moment his world stopped spinning and he lived through forever and a day of despair, "Yeah… Yeah, no. I'm just glad we're on the same page, you know."

"I have this crisis to deal with, serving as an ambassador to a deserted embassy, a promotion I'm completely unprepared for even if it was fully functional. To top it all there's a looming prospect of our two planets flirting with Intergalactic Warfare in the light of diplomats abandoning their post out of the blue." Kara rambled at length, "In the limited time that I have on Daxam, I just can't afford to get involved in a serious romantic commitment. And even if I did have time to date someone, I wouldn't date someone like... Someone who... Who..."

"The Prince of Daxam," Mon-el finished her jumbled thoughts, clinging to the hope that it was merely his title which made him such a terrible prospect by Kryptonian mating standards.

"Yes!" Kara exclaimed, glad to stumble on that excuse.

"Yes…" Mon-el echoed, satisfied with that rejection.

Suddenly Kara realized how insensitive and superficial that sounded, "No. It's... Because it's not your title. It's... It's the way you are." Horror washed over her instantly as she reeled over the significance of what it meant for someone consumed by as much self-loathing as Mon-el, but before Kara could rectify her blunder, Mon-el balled his fists and he moved away from her.

So much for reading all the signs wrong and giving your heart to someone who made you believe they wanted it… So much for intimacy, vulnerability, privacy, romance, commitment and indulgence in emotions… So much for believing there was still hope for him… So much for hoping he was still worth being loved… So much for wanting to discover who he was outside the Prince of Daxam… Even a Kryptonian, a race which believes in nurturing compatible relationships even if they were devoid of sexual pleasure, lost all interest in him after a night of immense passion… Was he that unfit for romantic partnerships? He was the empty shell of a man who needed to push his feelings deep into the darkest dungeons of his mind, where they belonged and drown his sorrows in Zakkarian Ale.

"I'm going to go get changed," he declared in a cold detached voice, his eyes moistening against his will as he walked over to the door to let his staff in. Letting out a breath he'd forgotten he was holding, he unlocked the door and announced, "Help me get changed, call a staff meeting for East Wing and fetch me a glass of Zakkarian Ale!"

Picking up her dress, Kara dragged her feet to the folding screen near the bathroom. No regret would ever measure up to what she felt this very moment. She just shattered a broken man's heart into a million pieces the moment he placed it in her palm, simply to bury hers deeper into a vault. The vault sunk to the bottom of the ocean with every passing moment.


	17. Chapter 17

**Crazy Stupid Love**

Noticing a defeated Mon-el drag his feet through the West Wing hallway, Stefan asked, "Hey, how did it go with Kara?"

With furrowed eyebrows, he quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around Stefan. "I just really need a hug right now," he sighed heavily.

"That bad, huh?" Stefan drew circles on his back with his palm. "So I'm guessing you two aren't _dating_ ," Stefan tried his best, and failed, at keeping his sarcastic tone at bay while talking about that weird Kryptonian concept.

Mon-el snorted at his pathetic naiveté, "I am so done with all that Kryptonian nonsense about privacy, overindulgence in feelings, monogamy, cheesy romantic gestures and the chaotic madness that is their purposeless courtships…."

"Yeah, some things only sound good in theory." Patting Mon-el's back, Stefan inquired, "What was it? Insecurity?"

"To an extent, yes!" Pulling away from the hug, Mon-el looked up thoughtfully, "She felt we don't have a strong backbone of friendship and common goals, unlike my relationships with you and Katherine…."

Running his hand over the back of his head, Stefan flashed a guilty grin, "I'm sorry about putting that in her head."

"No… No, even before you walked in on us, there were so many things which bothered her. I guess walking in on the aftermath of our little casual orgy, left its mark on her. Basically she feels that I'm merely fascinated by the concept of dating, not even her and I'm pretty sure her biggest deal breaker is that I'm just not a worthy romantic partner." Throwing his hands up in the air, Mon-el finished rambling.

"You're not a worthy romantic partner?" Stefan retorted, right before he smacked Mon-el's head.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Mon-el protested, stroking his head.

"Snap out of that self loathing default setting of yours. You're a fantastic romantic partner and I say that as someone with high standards for romantic companionship and a low threshold for tolerating people in general." Lowering his authoritative voice, Stefan offered his two cents, "For all her talk about dating, Kara clearly seems like someone who loves building her walls up and hiding behind them, so don't take her fear of intimacy so personally."

"You think so?" Mon-el asked reluctantly.

"I know so. I can bet my money she's burning off steam in the arena right now, inefficiently punching her way out of her problems," Stefan rolled his eyes. "But at least she has her sublimating figured out." Kneading his shoulder in support, "you need something to keep you busy as well so that you don't spend your entire day marinating in misery."

"What do you have in mind?" Mon-el looked up at him expectantly, ready for anything that gets his mind off Kara.

"The documents on the stabilization of Krypton's core, which we intercepted, are not that easy to read. I have my best defense researchers and scientists working on it, but unless they know what to look for, it's impossible to figure out what Rhea plans to do with this data," Stefan pitched, in order to recruit Mon-el on a sleuthing mission.

Quick to jump on the train, Mon-el immediately accepted the offer, "I am in. Say no more. Just let me know what you need from me."

"Well…" Stefan began, looking away nervously, "You remember how I developed a close personal relationship with Caroline, the blonde I invited to the orgy."

"Oh yes, I remember her," Mon-el instantly had a knowing smile on his face, "the party planner who organized our ball on such short notice. What about her?"

"Caroline talks a lot, like I already know everything there is to know about her life," Stefan whined, "anyway, that's not the point. The point is, Lena and Bon-bon are much more secretive about the work the Queen has commissioned them for, luckily, thanks to Caroline's ramblings I know that Lena is merely a theoretical physicist who was running theoretical simulations for different scenarios involving Krypton's core. Bon-bon on the other hand works the real magic on the Applied Sciences end." Stefan made his case, hoping Mon-el would understand where this was going.

"Oh no! Please don't say, what I think you're about to say," biting down on his knuckle, Mon-el backed away.

"She has a soft spot for you… You two really hit it off that night… I'm sure if you woo her and ask her about her work casually, then she might drop some useful hints," stretching his arms out, Stefan tied to bargain with Mon-el.

"Urgh… I am knee deep in self-doubt and insecurity today," Mon-el shook his head, "I don't think I have the energy to flirt, even with a gorgeous and brilliant woman like Bon-bon."

"You don't need to flirt with her," Stefan lifted his shoulder in a half shrug, "just talk to her about her job casually, you two already have the comfort level which renders flirting irrelevant. Plus it'll be good for your self esteem."

Squaring his shoulders and puffing his chest out, Mon-el stood straight and declared, "You know what, I'll do it! I can't sit and cry over Kara forever, she rejected me and I must move on from that heartache.

Spanking his ass as hard as possible, "Off you go, now," Stefan sent him away on his little mission for the day.

A few hours later, Stefan made his way to the training arena. Smiling to himself, he noticed Kara doing exactly what he predicted, angrily jabbing into a punching bag. "Move those hips! That's where the power comes from," he instructed, startling her.

"I was just blowing off some steam," Kara flicked a loose strand of hair from her forehead.

"Blow off some steam with technique, at least that way you'll fight intelligently when your rage eventually takes over in a real fight," Stefan taunted, sliding his palms into his boxing gloves.

"I fight smartly!" Kara immediately retorted.

"Yeah? You're a bottom heavy woman and instead of using your lower center of gravity to your advantage, your current stance seems most effective for a tall man. Why is that?" Strapping his gloves on, he challenged.

"My instructor… used to…" Kara began, fumbling to find a valid explanation.

Stefan immediately cut her off, "Never mimic your instructors, Kara. What works for someone else might not work for you. Identify your own strengths and weaknesses and fight accordingly." Bumping his fists, sheathed in boxing gloves, he warmed up to practice.

Shifting her stance, Kara looked over her shoulder, until she achieved the position with which Stefan seemed least disappointed. "Why are you being so mean to me unnecessarily?" Kara yelled at him, before she thrust her fists repeatedly on the same spot on her punching bag.

Eyeing her judgmentally from head to toe, Stefan walked over to the punching bag hanging right next to hers, "Well, you begged me to train you after our first sparring session, remember?" Stefan quipped, side-eyeing her, until he couldn't help but groan.

"What?" Kara demanded, "What did I do wrong, now?" She huffed, until her face was red.

"Stop punching that one spot you love so much. Switch things up, squat, leap; make your blows more unpredictable." Without looking at Kara, who was not punching anymore, but throwing daggers at him with her eyes, he continued, "And don't aim for the surface, extend your arm fully for powerful strikes, one strong punch is more effective than several punches with the vigor of a deep tissue massage." Gliding his fists into the sack in front of him, with such fluidity and control, he gave her a demonstration.

"Did Mon-el tell you something about our conversation? Is that why you're so bitter right now?" Kara's unrelenting stare raked over him as her brows bumped together in a scowl.

A smirk dangled on the corner of his lips, "She cares," he jabbed, both verbally and physically into the punching bag.

"Of course I care," her voice softened in a tear-jerking manner.

"Good to know," he remarked nonchalantly.

"I-I do, I really do…" Kara asserted, growing crimson with fury at his sarcastic replies.

"And I believe you," he countered, viciously yanking at his punching bag now.

Kara huffed and went back to thrusting her fists into her bag, making good use of her pent up rage. "I didn't mean to hurt him," she confessed, her vision blurring as her eyes moistened.

"Whatever do you mean?" Stefan was trying really hard to not care about what she had to say, he didn't want to be sucked into the drama.

"Feelings are hard, you know," she focused solely on her blows and didn't even bother looking over at Stefan, "just because we don't actively will ourselves to not feel and we don't bury our emotions in intoxication on Krypton, doesn't mean we are experts in the field."

"It's fine, Kara, I can understand why you did what you did," Stefan steadied his punching bag, hugging it.

"You do?" Blinking owlishly, Kara turned to look at him.

"You talk a big talk, Zor-El, but I don't think you've ever really let your walls down and allowed yourself to get vulnerable in these supposed deep and meaningful Kryptonian courtships. Have you ever been in love?" He cocked his head with curiosity.

Nodding vigorously to overcompensate, Kara instantly replied, "Of course I have… I think… Maybe… I don't know… How do you even know, you know?"

Clearly amused by her, Stefan chucked, "Trust me; you know when it's real. Life is too short to live in fear, bound by self imposed restrictions and compulsively trying to protect yourself from getting hurt. There's such a fine line between a hidey-hole and solitary confinement."

"But isn't it stupid to make choices that will leave you with nothing but hurt?" Kara demanded an answer, like a stubborn child.

"Are you hurt right now?" Stefan pouted.

Dumbfounded by the weight that question carried, Kara blinked repeatedly until her eyes were red from her attempts of holding back her tears, "Yes."

Inching closer, Stefan uncomfortably patted her back, "There… There…."

Wiping her eyes with her sleeves, Kara sniffed, "What would you do if you were in my place?"

Inhaling a deep breath and blowing it out slowly, "I can't tell you how to live your life but the kindest thing you can do for yourself is indulge in what brings you joy instead of constantly over-thinking things. The kindest gift anyone can offer someone with a childhood like Mon-el's, is unabridged acceptance."

Mon-el's most extravagant vehicle came to a standstill outside the palace, blowing up the dust in its wake. Stefan and Kara turned around to watch him step out, in the distance, far from the arena. They watched him walk over to the other side and open the door for his companion. A gorgeous woman with radiant dusky skin stepped out, holding his hand. Regret slowly slipping through the cracks to haunt Kara, nagging at her guilty conscience, constantly reminding her of the grave mistake she made with that last jab. Bon-bon's hand slithered over Mon-el's chest as she whispered something into his ear and laughed gleefully. Kara clenched her jaw at the sight as she watched them slack-mouthed, her blood slowly simmering with envy. Kara absentmindedly threw her boxing gloves away and asked Stefan, "Who is she?"

"That's Bon-bon, she's a scientist working on Queen Rhea's project which required Krypton's research on safely harnessing their planet's core. You might remember her from the post orgy morning march you witnessed, when you visited Mon-el's chambers, your first morning on Daxam," Stefan cast her a side glance, a wary smile surfaced on his lips as he realized that he might have killed two birds with one stone sending Mon-el on this little mission, judging by the regret painted on Kara's face.

Bon-bon's hips swayed in perfect rhythm underneath a skimpy dress which magnificently hugged her curves. Even from a distance, Kara could see her generously cut cleavage giving way to her ample bosom. She looked like someone stepped straight out of a fashion magazine. Mon-el's arm curled around her waist, tugging her next to him as they cruised their way to the palace door like a glamorous celebrity couple, the likes of which she had seen too often back when Mon-el constantly showed up on Kryptonian tabloids. Kara's heart sank in her chest at the sight, which made her sick in her stomach and her legs weak. In a shaky voice, "Are they… close?" she asked, muscles in her face tightening.

"No, not really!" Stefan shrugged, hating how much he loved this.

Pivoting on her heel, Kara turned to look at Stefan with demanding eyes, "Is it just a part of your paranoid plan which involved intercepting the data on Krypton's core which my mother sent over this morning?"

Dragging his words cautiously, "Yes…" Stefan continued, "Mon-el and Bon-bon really hit it off that night so I figured he could woo her into pointing us in the right direction in terms of Rhea's plans because honestly I just don't believe that she plans to harness Daxam's core." Stefan rambled on about their plan assuming that Kara was over whatever was bothering her.

"Why couldn't you do it?" she asked, without a care for their plan.

"Do what?" Stefan was baffled by her question.

Gritting her teeth, Kara politely asked, "Woo her… You were a part of that orgy too, why couldn't you woo her for information."

Thoughtfully pouting, "Well, I guess we just didn't bond the way the two of them did, they were joined at the hip the entire time, quite literally," Stefan joked, unaware of how he plunged the knife into her heart. "I could only gather limited information from Caroline, the one I bonded with that night. The raven haired girl, Lena, she's not being very forthcoming and her research kick-started this entire project. She thought you were cute when she noticed your scandalized reaction. What say, Kara? Would you like to join the trio and seduce the other scientist for a good cause?" He raised his fist to offer encouragement.

Eyes narrowed into crinkled slits, Kara stated matter-of-factly, "Geez Stefan, I would love to but she's just a little feminine for my taste."

"Aah… It makes so much sense now, I sometimes forget you're a Kryptonian," running a hand through his hair he came to the realization.

"What makes so much sense?" Kara was puzzled.

"Why you have no qualms with my relationship with Mon-el but the female paramours trouble you so much. Tell me, are Kryptonians bioengineered in the birthing matrix to flock into heterosexual pairings of two or is that an acquired taste, I've always been curious?" Folding his arms under his chest, he had a good laugh.

"They d-don't… They don't trouble me… Urgh" Kara huffed, at the end of her rope with Stefan, "Y-you you trouble me." She balled her fists until her knuckles were white, "You're so… Why are you so… Urgh…" she groaned as she stomped her foot and stormed off.

Later, Kara's heart leapt in her chest as she stood outside Mon-el's door, desperately searching for the courage to tap her fist silently resting against the door. She closed her eyes shut, in a futile effort to get a grip over this fuming jealousy, raging within her, coursing through her veins and barely contained within her as she fought the urge for volcanic eruption.

Hearing someone clear their throat, Kara snapped back to reality as her blue eyes met her forest green. Noticing Bon-bon's smirk as she gazed over Kara's fist still hanging in the air, Kara was mortified as she pulled her hand back right away.

"Let me guess," raising a finger to make a point, she grinned knowingly, "You're Kara." She felt like she already knew this funny little creature after her lunch with Mon-el.

Mon-el made his way to the door, absentmindedly staring at the book in his hands, "I think I found the one you wanted…." His feet abruptly came to a standstill as he noticed Kara.

Bon turned around to kiss his cheek. Plucking the book from his grasp, she bid him goodbye, "Thank you for the lunch and the book, I had a really nice time. See you soon?"

Mon-el darted his eyes between the tender anticipation in those green eyes and the pained and burning blue comets that were Kara's. He left a chaste kiss on Bon's cheek, "See you."

Bon curiously raked her gaze over Kara, from head to toe. She simply couldn't get a read on this blue eyed foreigner. Both times they ran into each other, Kara adorned a bizarre reaction to her exit from Mon-el's chambers, she couldn't quite understand why….


	18. Chapter 18

**Fortress of Solitude**

Deafening silence slowly brewed between Kara and Mon-el as they stared at each other at length. Fidgeting with her hands, Kara uncomfortably shifted in her place, as she stood at the threshold of his chambers. Silently, she pleaded with his cold unwelcoming eyes to invite her inside.

Mon-el's forehead puckered in distress. "What are you doing here, Kara?" he asked, realizing that he was physically incapable withstanding any more heartache.

Desperately trying to contain the burning pit of envy in her stomach, Kara painfully spoke in a soft voice, "I-I wanted to talk… Can we talk?" Vaguely pointing at the room behind him with both her hands, Kara requested, "Can I come in?"

Even though his feet were stubbornly planted on the floor, he reluctantly moved aside for her to enter. Having little idea about what she had to say, the wrath in her eyes warned him to keep his guard up. He was sure of one thing; he wouldn't allow himself to be vulnerable enough for her to trample over his heart this time. Switching to an authoritative tone, he demanded, "Is it something important? I have a busy day ahead of me."

"I can see that," Kara quipped, as she walked past him.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Mon-el asked bitterly as he turned back to look at her.

Looking around the room, Kara's eyes scanned all the staff and the royal guards lazing around and chattering all over his chambers. She timidly requested, "Can we talk in private?"

Mon-el was not going to fall for that trap again. He had his fair share of privacy. Having no desire to be left unaccompanied with her, he clung to his comfort zone. He needed his guards now more than ever, to protect him from his feelings for her. This was his stronghold. She was the one who was out of her element, surrounded by so many people. Mon-el , on the other hand, trusted his staff and his guards with his life. He couldn't afford to give up the upper hand and put himself in a vulnerable position, not after the morning he had, "Whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of them."

Shell-shocked, Kara watched Mon-el stroll over to a leather couch tucked between his bookshelves in a corner. Taking a seat, he clutched to the arms of the chair and crossed his legs, patiently waiting for her to say her piece. "Why are you being like this?" Stretching her arms out in frustration, she failed to understand he was giving her the cold shoulder.

Drumming his fingers against the arm of his sofa, he looked down at them like a stubborn child. "Like what?"

"All princely, all of a sudden," Kara remarked, utterly perplexed.

Looking up with a gleam of devilry in his eyes, he quipped, "Oh, it's not about my title, Kara… It's just the way I am."

Flinching at the reminder of those hurtful words that unintentionally popped out of her mouth in a moment of weakness, Kara took a step back. She didn't mean to hurt him and the fact that he was holding onto those words like they were gospel was clawing at her conscience. "Is that it? You're trying to hurt me because I hurt you? I'm sorry Mon-el, I really am! I didn't mean to be cruel, it just…"

Swiping a hand to cut her off, Mon-el eased her guilt, "It's Ok… It's fine… You don't need to apologize. That was a petty remark, I can accept that, but I don't feel comfortable spending alone time with anyone at the moment, I hope you can understand that." Scratching his beard to ease his way through the conversation, he continued, "It's not personal… In my experience privacy is only good for conspiring. Other than that, nothing good ever comes out of private conversations."

Blinking her eyes repeatedly, she did her best to hide how deeply his words wounded her. "Well you were more than comfortable spending alone time with Bon-bon," Kara looked away, vaguely pointing at the door she stood outside not long ago, watching Bon-bon leave. She hated letting jealousy get the better of her.

"What are you talking about? We went to a very public place for brunch." He couldn't understand why his response only added fuel to the fire which was burning blue in her eyes like comets. Looking skyward in careful contemplation, he tried to steer the conversation in a different direction, "It's the most sought after restaurant in the capital because of its glorious view of the most breathtaking oasis in the area." Having completely lost track of what they were talking about, Mon-el rambled on merrily about his little lunch date. "You must visit, now that you have more time on your hands. It's the perfect combination of intimacy and decadence."

Noticing his eyes sparkle with joy, Kara felt so uncomfortable in her own skin. That could have been them, she thought, quickly shoving those thoughts away. She strained her lips into a lackluster smile, trying and failing at hiding her discomfort, "Sounds like you had a wonderful time."

"Yes, absolutely," Mon-el's eyes sparkled with joy, the kind of joy Kara last saw when they were still in their little bubble of intimacy in his bathtub. "I was so nervous, but the conversation flowed so naturally, I already know much more than I aimed to find out about her work on Daxam and," leaning forward Mon-el continued enthusiastically, "I was able to clear my headspace. She's just such a good listener." Thoughtfully nodding, he came to the conclusion, "She would make an excellent therapist. In a nutshell, it was an extremely productive brunch."

"I'm sure she's as fascinating as she is beautiful," tucking a loose strand behind her hair, Kara complemented, uncomfortably looking around the room.

"I mean yes, she's been commissioned to synthesize a new element. I'm unsure if it is an independent project or if it is somehow related to the Queen's curiosity about harnessing energy from Krypton's core, for which Lena is crunching numbers as we speak." Resting his chin over his laced fingers in wonder, he noted, "Her work in Applied Sciences is nothing short of magic, I must say that. I'm just humbled that a book from my library could be of service."

"Oh… I'm sorry for interrupting, whatever it is that you were doing in here," she not so subtly peeked into his bed chambers, absolutely hating her for tormenting herself like this.

Chuckling awkwardly, Mon-el's eyes shrunk to suspicious slits, "Wait, what do you think we were doing in here?"

"I don't know…." Casually pacing around, touching trinkets lying around the room, Kara pretended to be much more invested in them, rather than what really troubled her. "I mean, you two are pretty close, judging from our first encounter in this very room."

"Oh yes!" Rolling his eyes skyward at her insinuation, "In the little time we had, between our return and you barging in, I totally indulged in a quickie like a two pump chump right where you're standing."

Instantly recoiling from the bookshelf her fingers were skimming through, Kara turned around, staring at him wide eyed, completely horrified. The volcano of repressed jealousy instantly erupted, "What? How could…" she cried with betrayal but soon realized that she had no right to make such demands.

"Relax, Kara," he raised his hands partly to assure her and partly to shield himself from burning rage in her eyes, "I'm only joking." He couldn't understand why his words only made things worse, or why Kara was so upset, but guilt nagged at him for unintentionally bringing her so much pain. He asked with concern, "What's going on with you?"

Voice barely audible, Kara struggled to get the words out as her voice broke with pain, "What's going on with me?"

"Yes." Tilting his head quizzically curiously, "What is it that you wanted to talk about? Something clearly seems to be troubling you right now."

"You think," she quipped rhetorically, stretching her arms out in question before they fell back to her sides in defeat. Kara paced over to him, "I came here because I was mad about you and Bon-bon…." Unable to finish that sentence, she hoped she would understand her sentiment, no matter how irrational.

Sitting back in his chair, Mon-el tapped his index finger against his lips in an attempt to figure out this little conundrum. "You know, I'm not super hip on Kryptonian social cues and mating etiquette, but why would you be mad about me and Bon-bon?"

"I'm not mad," quickly denying her little slip up, Kara looked away.

"You literally just said you were mad," Mon-el reminded her, a smirk slowly forming at the corner of his lips.

"No," Kara huffed stubbornly.

"Two seconds ago, you said, _'I was mad about_...'" Mon-el reminded.

Furiously shaking her head, Kara corrected herself to regain her dignity, "Yeah, I'm surprised."

"Oh, not mad, surprised," Mon-el teased.

"I'm surprised that... You'd just go on a date with someone else, right after our morning together, when you were serious about me… Because I mean if... How could you be serious if you did that?" Kara clapped her hands on her hips, arms crooked like sugar bowel handles.

"You rejected me, remember?" His brows bumped together in a scowl and yet his lips failed to contain a smile, "If you don't like me, why do you... Why do you care?" An odd sense of satisfaction washed over him as he realized that she might still care for him, after all.

Running her trembling fingers through her hair, Kara closed the distance between them. She stood in front of him, their knees bumping together. Guilt ridden gaze met with puzzled grey eyes as she looked down upon him, "I-I'm good at a lot of things but allowing myself to be vulnerable is not one of them."

His defenses lowered a bit and his heart warmed up to her. Gently grasping both her hands, Mon-el gave her some confidence to keep going, "I figured that much."

Swinging their hands together, her gaze dropped to their joined hands, "I allowed my insecurity and fear of intimacy to get the better of me this morning. It's no excuse for how cruel and hurtful my words must have been for you. I just… I just," Kara looked up to gaze into his eyes, before he squeezed her palms in support, "The Kryptonian way has never really worked for me. I lied, it's not exhilarating, it is exhausting… It is so exhausting," she let out a long drawn tired breath. "There are so many expectations, so many rules, anxiety inducing and self esteem ripping social burden, disappointment and heartbreak which consumes you. The last time I dated someone," pouting she kept her gaze plastered to their joined hands, "he kept going back and forth between me and his ex-girlfriend. She was so gorgeous and brilliant… Like you can't even imagine how perfect she was," Kara tried to get him to understand.

"If you found her attractive, then why didn't the three of you get together?" Mon-el asked, completely oblivious to the problem.

"I didn't… I didn't find her attractive… Not in that way… But objectively, she was much more beautiful than I am, I could see that," Kara cleared her throat.

Sensing her discomfort, Mon-el quickly corrected, "I highly doubt that, you underestimate your beauty. Also, there's a lot more to a person's beauty than how they appear on the surface to the beholder. People can't be compared like inanimate objects. You're as beautiful an individual as you are _objectively_ beautiful," stressing the word, he continued, "Despite our failed attempt at a relationship, I want to know that I have never met a woman more beautiful than you in my life."

Kara snickered, looking up at him, completely amused, "That's something, considering how many women you have known so intimately."

"Hey," Mon-el protested, "Don't forget the men. They were objectively very beautiful as well." Uncomfortable silence split at the seams, as Kara echoed his laughter.

Looking back at their joined hands, she held onto him tighter, bracing herself for what she had to say, "Given Krypton's dating etiquette, monogamy is expected in romantic partnerships. Every time he went back to her, I just felt a little less sure about myself as a romantic partner and knowing how it feels, I can't even begin to express how sorry I am to make you feel the same."

"So you're telling me, I suffered for the foolishness of another man?" Mon-el asked, his eyes narrowing into slits.

"Yes and no," Kara struggled to articulate, "I mean… I chose to bury my heart into a vault after being scorned one too many times. It's not his fault, neither did you deserve the aftermath of it. You're really amazing, you should know that," Kara rolled up her shoulder in a half shrug and smiled at him, unburdened after giving up control and allowing herself to be vulnerable in a really long time.

With a cocky wink and a confident smile, he tugged her closer, "You really think I'm amazing?"

Slowly descending upon him, she let go of his hands, held on to the armrest, and came face to face with him, "Hi," she whispered.

His heart leapt in his chest as those beautiful blue eyes weakened his resolve. "Hi," he said back like a giddy teenage boy.

Leaving a small peck on his lower lip to make sure he's fine with it, Kara dived in with everything she had. It had only been hours but how she had missed those lips against hers, especially after the way they were yanked out of paradise. Slithering her palms over the armrest, she propped a knee beside him to make her way into his lap when he abruptly pulled back.

"No, no, no… wait… no…" He muttered between short breaths, raising his hands to create some distance between them. "We can't just start kissing…." He didn't want to make the same mistake he made the previous night. They needed to on the same page first.

"Yes," clutching his face between both her palms and easing into his lap, Kara reassured. "Yes, Mon-el. Yes, we can," rubbing her hands over his dark stubble, she leaned in to kiss him again.

Turning his head away, he protested, "We need to talk about us and figure things out first."

Kissing her way up his neck, she mumbled, clearly lost in the smell of his intoxicating perfume, "We just talked, let me make it up to you if the apology wasn't satisfying."

His hands moved on their own accord over her legs, all the way to her thighs, thanks to the short sporty dress which was now perched beneath her hips. "As much as I enjoy this form of manipulation," he groaned, "we need to stop and talk about the state of our relationship." Begrudgingly obstructing the exploratory mission his hands were on, he plucked them off her when they were merely inches away from her hips.

Her fingers tip toed their way his chest as she whispered into his ear, "Why talk when kissing is so much more fun?"

"Because that's what we did last night. Look where that impulsive decision got us?" Clutching her wrists to still her, he gazed into her eyes to plead with her.

"We can talk, under one condition," Kara's eyes twinkled with mischief, "Ask everyone to leave. I need privacy."

His gaze critically fell to her sitting on her lap, "Now you need privacy?" He knew Kara was up to no good, judging from the enthusiasm in her nod. "If you can straddle me without discretion, I'm sure we don't need solitude to have a simple conversation about the status of our relationship."

"I promise we'll talk about it later," Kara complained, fighting her way out of his grip.

"No we talk about it now," he tightened his grip, trying his hardest to keep a no-nonsense expression on his face. "Just define what you seek from me? Is it just pleasure or do you want to date?"

"Oh to hell with Kryptonian mating etiquette," she ground her hips against him. Despite his serious expression, he soon began to grow in his pants.

Soaring out of the chair along with her, he straightened up as Kara struggled to regain her balance. Digging his fingers into her shoulders, he stretch his arms out to put as much distance as possible between their pelvises, "Even if we do that, I need to know if you're interested in me for a romantic partnership or not. Is this a onetime thing motivated by jealousy, like the prospect of one last hurrah pushed you into my arms last night? Because I need to understand your intentions before I let my guard down this time."

"Why can't we talk about it in private?" Kara asked stepping closer to him.

Mon-el kept stepping back to maintain his distance, until he stumbled back into a bookshelf, "No, I'm not ready to be left alone with you. That's your comfort zone… It brings me nothing but heartache and confusion."

"A lot happened in these chambers last night," planting both her palms on either side of his face, over the closely stacked books spines, Kara pouted, "it was not all that bad. Don't let one slip of tongue on my part ruin privacy for you."

"You told me last night that you cling to privacy because you feel ashamed of getting intimate with prying eyes on you." He pointed at her hands, as she furiously unbuttoned his jacket, "Your actions are very contradictory right now."

Rolling his jacket off his shoulders until it fell on the floor "I said I feel uncomfortable getting naked and vulnerable in front of them, you're more than comfortable in your skin," she stated, pulling up his undershirt.

Throwing his undershirt on the floor, Mon-el asked again, "What is this, Kara? You don't need privacy for saying the words."

"I like you, Mon-el, I really do," unbuttoning his pants, she gazed straight into his eyes, knowing full well how big a weakness her eyes were for him. "I really want to explore this… us… and see where the road takes us. Yes, of course I want a romantic partnership." Sliding her hand into his pants, she snaked her fingers around his generously swollen length, "It's not just about pleasure, but can't we build this on our terms, one day at a time, instead of clinging onto the definitions and etiquette of our people? We are very different, we come from different worlds. Can't we build a little world of our own… with our own rules?"

Letting his head crash back against the bookshelf, he closed his eyes shut, reveling in the sensation of her hands pleasuring him. All rational thought, slowly escaping his mind, before he recalled about one last thing they needed to hash out, "What about your doubts…?" Mon-el murmured, gasping for air, his eyes still shut.

"My doubts about what?" Kara whispered into his ear, rubbing her thumb over the tip of his penis at the first sign of discharge.

Willing himself to open his eyes, he searched hers for answers, "About this being a fascination compared to my relationship with Stefan and Katherine? How everything in my room including my bed serves as a constant reminder of my personal life which clearly bothers you. Also, the way I am as a person, still hasn't changed since this morning."

"I'm not talking about that when we have company," tightening her grip over him, she picked up the pace of her strokes.

"Urgh," he grumbled, consumed with sexual frustration. He rubbed his forehead, as if that would help him think clearly. Snapping his fingers, he ordered, "Everyone leave us, except for the staff in the bed chambers." Looking back at her, he spoke softly, "I suppose, that's a fair compromise."

As soon as they were alone in the sitting area, Kara confessed, "I know this isn't just fascination for you. I understand this is real. I don't wish to compare the place you have for me in your heart with the love you have for Stefan and Katherine. I would rather prefer we spend the next three months exploring our feelings." Dropping to her knees, she kneeled in front of Mon-el and pulled his pants down, enough to unleash his boner, which she quickly took in her mouth.

"I would very much like that as well, but what about everything else? Our problems won't just disappear if we don't hash them out." He looked down at her, completely baffled.

Pulling away, eliciting a groan from Mon-el, she looked up at him, "Would you rather prefer I use my mouth to talk, instead of you know…?" she teased, quite literally having him by the balls.

"You asked for time alone, to talk things through," he whined. He hated how every bit of his body was slowly siding with her in this argument.

"But we aren't alone, not entirely. You offered a compromise, with your staff still present in the adjoining room." Kara nodded in the direction of his bedroom door, "So here's my compromise, we talk about it once I'm done here." With that offer, Kara wrapped her fingers around the base of his penis and licked her way up from the base to the tip, without breaking eye contact with him.

"Oh… what the hell?" he threaded both his hands through her hair and tugged her back to where he needed her.

Stroking the base of his penis with her hand, Kara was glad that Mon-el's not so gentle nudges only pushed her to a comfortable limit over length. She wanted to take her sweet time pleasuring him like he pleasured her the previous night. What she lacked in experience, she made up for in spirit. Paying attention to the sounds he made, she noted everything that made him lose control and grunt his loudest. She always found the idea of going down on someone odd and slightly disgusting but there was something about the amount of power she had over him in this moment and how uncharacteristically palatable it was in her mouth. Pulling back to kiss the tip of his penis, she heard him protest and push her head back, but as soon as she looked up in his eyes while rolling her tongue around his tip, she loved how his eyes instantly darkened.

Gently running his fingers through her hair, "I need your lips where your tongue is and I need your tongue pressing into the slit." Surprised by how quickly Kara complied with that request, he threw his head back as she kissed him so intimately. He loved how her pink supple lips looked now wrapped around the tip of his penis. Untangling her fingers curled around the base, he looked into her baffled eyes, "I need you to take me in deep," gently pushing her head until he could feel the back of her throat. Kara stared at him wide eyed, making muffled sounds in protest, "I thought you didn't want to talk," he teased. As she tilted her head in stared at him in disbelief, he challenged her, "You just offered to make it up to me. You're all talk, huh?"

That did it for her, she was going to wipe that smirk off his face and turn him into putty in her hands. Fondling his balls, she relaxed her throat and took him in whole. Her tongue maintaining a firm grip over his dick and her cheeks sucked in, she relentlessly licked him like a Popsicle. She took a great amount of joy in watching him fall apart and completely lose control, until he melted in a puddle of animalistic grunts and groans.

Lightly tapping her over her head, Mon-el warned her that he was close, just in case she wanted to finish him off by hand. Given how she just ignored the tap and kept going at it, he took it as a cue to cum in her mouth. Groping her hair, he pulled her in hard, losing complete control and tenderness. His hips began to thrust into her mouth to shove his length deeper, if that was even possible. A carnal desire to ram his cock remorselessly into her mouth consumed him, until nothing hurt and his world narrowed down to the feeling of having her lips wrapped around his dick. Her golden locks slipped from his fingers as he spilled his seed in her mouth.

Kara did not anticipate everything that followed the tap on her head, especially not having his salty warm cum in her mouth, which had an unusual hint of Zakkarian Ale. Swallowing it whole, she rose to her feet when she noticed a handmaiden walk out of his bedroom door with a napkin and a drink. Cheeks burning crimson, Kara stared at her incredulously until the handmaiden inched closer and wiped her lips with the napkin. "Here, drink this. It'll balance out the taste of seed." Hesitantly clutching onto the goblet, she gulped down the drink and it most definitely was a party for her taste buds.

Kara reluctantly found the courage to show some gratitude, "Thank you, it really did help." Arching a sly brow, the woman offered Kara another wet wipe, "I'm fine… I don't need another…." Before Kara could finish her sentence, the handmaiden laughed and briefly looked over at Mon-el's penis as he recovered from his orgasm. "Oh… Oh!" She quickly picked up on what she was hinting at and snatched the wet wipe from her, waiting for her to give them some privacy, before she _used_ it. The handmaiden smirked, clearly amused by Kara and disappeared into Mon-el's bed chambers as soon as she came in.

"That… that was incredible," Mon-el sighed with satisfaction as Kara wiped off length clean.

As soon as Mon-el recovered, Kara asked, "Was that payback?"

"What? Was what payback?" Mon-el snapped back to reality.

"Cumming in my mouth like that, was that payback for my hurtful words?" She edged closer to him like a threatening storm.

"No! Gods no! I tapped your head. That's the universal code to back away from swallowing. I'm sorry…."

"Don't be sorry, it was interesting, I need to learn all these codes," Kara pouted decisively.

"You do, huh?" Picking up a giggling Kara in his arms, Mon-el walked them over to his bed chambers. "I would love to teach you all of them."

Wrapping her legs around him, Kara tried to subdue her laughter, "How is your staff so intuitive about these things?"

"I have no idea," Mon-el shook his head, "It's almost supernatural at this point. I'm sure if I was deserted on an alien planet, one of them would still show up the moment I need a condom and don't have one." He loved that beautiful smile on her face… the things he would do to protect that smile.

"Can I have the room? I need to make love to My Lady and she is big on privacy," he announced standing at the threshold of his bedroom.


	19. Chapter 19

**Ready for Love**

Standing at the threshold of his bedchambers with Kara in his arms, Mon-el indecisively scanned the room. Kara was snuggled up against him with her arms and legs clinging to him to dear life. Her lips buried into his neck, on an exploratory mission of demanding kisses, fingertips sensually running through the hair on the back of his head. He knew she wasn't a huge fan of his bed, so he turned the other way. Kara whispered into his ear, "No, on your bed."

Pulling away to get a good look at Kara's face, he asked with disbelief, "My giant orgy bed, you detested last night?"

"Yes, Mon-el! That bed…" Kara chuckled looking over to his colossal bed with an outrageously regal headboard upholstered in beige leather and gold inlay.

"Who are you and what did you do to Kara?" He teased, walking her over to the bed.

Lovingly gazing into his eyes, she spoke with a coy smile on her face, "Hey, I want to be with you, all of you and if you want to sleep in an abnormally large bed, I'm getting in there with you."

Momentarily looking up in contemplation, he looked back at her, "I think I could make some space for you." The pair of them burst into laughter as Mon-el plunged onto the bed with Kara buried underneath him.

Two handmaidens left trays of everything they would need on the bedside tables and left. One of them politely interrupted, "Your Highness, we'll be right outside. Just buzz us in case you need anything."

"You all can just take the day off," he offered. The pair of them skipped their merry way, locking the door behind them.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Kara noted, "I see you're not afraid of being alone with me anymore."

"Oh I'm definitely afraid," kissing her throat, grinding his pelvis against hers, "Can't you see me trembling with fear?"

Kicking off her sneakers, Kara crawled out from underneath him and jumped back into the mattress. "I love this bed, it's so comfortable and bouncy," she squealed, adorably bouncing on the bed.

With great satisfaction, he watched Kara fling off her dress, leaving nothing in its wake but frail white underwear. "I'm just happy to see you comfortable in here," he staggered out of bed and got back on his feet to take off his boots. "It was disheartening to watch you struggle with my surroundings and who I am as a person." He said with a forced smile as he pulled his pants off.

On all fours, Kara minced her way up to him and scaled up his torso to pull him closer into a warm embrace. "Hey… I'm going to step down from this pedestal you've put me on and I can only hope that you climb a few steps from this pit of self loathing to meet me half way." Pulling back to look him in the eye, Kara pressed a gentle hand against his cheek, "I'm no better than you. You're no worse. We are just very different people and my mortal weaknesses shouldn't cast a shadow on your identity."

"But… but you said…." Mon-el couldn't even bring himself to say the words echoed in his mind. ' _It's not your title; it's the way you are_.' He knew she deserved better than him, he told her so the previous night but hearing her say it really broke him.

"I know what I said…." Her voice dropped to a barely audible tone, "I-I I didn't mean it… The way you are, is pretty damn amazing, considering your world, your upbringing, everything you've been through and the fact that you still risk so much to do the right thing." Her hand slowly slipped from his shoulder to his heart.

Beaming with pride, Mon-el felt humbled by her words, "That means a lot, coming from you…"

"Me?" Kara chuckled, confused by the compliment.

With his arms snaking around her waist, he pulled her closer, "You risked your life by coming to Daxam alone during a conflict with absolutely no diplomatic experience, simply because you wanted to prevent a war. Judging from the history of our planets, all odds were stacked against you in that gamble. Doing the right thing despite that makes you the most courageous and moral person I know."

"It's not that courageous," Kara shrugged it off.

"There was a ninety nine percent chance of my mother demanding your head on a stake," Mon-el stressed.

"Really? That high?" Inhaling a sharp breath, Kara stared at him in shock.

"Why do you think I was so paranoid about your safely?" Mon-el raised his shoulders dramatically. "At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I must confess I admire your courage. I wish I had half of it," he gazed at her with such admiration.

Dropping a chaste kiss on his lips, Kara tilted her head, "You need to stop raising that pedestal, Mon-el!"

"Um-hmmm?" He murmured with a glint of mischief in his eyes. Running his hands over her sides, he hooked his fingers into the waist band of her panties. Gliding a flirtatious finger underneath her waistband at a torturously slow pace, he gripped onto the thin string on one side with both his hands and snapped it into two.

"This is the second time you've torn a piece of my clothing," Kara giggled.

Snapping the string on the other side, he yanked her torn underwear off and tossed it aside. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Not even a little bit," Kara hauled him by the waist until they plunged into the soft mattress together.

Joining their hands together and raising them over her head, Mon-el kissed her with everything he had in him. He loved this…her…in his bed. It felt like home with her buried underneath him. Dropping a few tender kisses on her cheek, he slowly kissed his way down her neck, all the way to her collarbone and finally her adorably perky bosom. Gently sucking onto one of her nipples, he twirled his tongue around it, eliciting soft whimpers and moans from Kara, music to his ears.

When he was completely lost in Kara, she wrapped her legs around his waist and quickly flipped him over. Straddling him, she clamped her fingers into his rock hard chest. She leaned in for a possessive kiss, her nails clawing their way down his chest. She still hadn't gotten all that raging jealousy she had been suppressing, out of her system. It had only transformed into something very carnal and demanding. Pulling back, she hungrily raked her gaze over him, scraping her nails over his abs. As he moved closer to hold her, Kara slithered her hands back to his chest and shoved him into the mattress. Lacing her fingers into his, she ground her hips against his flaccid penis until it began to rise for her. Kara leaned in to whisper in his ear, "I'm going to go grab a condom, and you better be completely hard when I'm back."

"Yes, ma'am," he obliged. Mon-el really liked this take-charge and dominating side of Kara, it was hot. It did things to him, strange things. He watched her hips sway as she crawled on all fours to reach the nightstand, his cock twitched, as if growing hard on her command. Wriggling his way to the headboard, he plopped his head over the pillows. Lying on his side with one arm splayed over the pillows and the other stroking his penis as he patiently watched her choose a condom.

With a devilish spark in her eyes and a wicked smirk, Kara turned around, a foil packet stacked between two fingers. "Let's delay your gratification for a change," she said before she crawled back to him like a fox preparing to hunt.

"No, not that one! What have I done to deserve this?" He whined, running his unoccupied hand through his hair.

"What have you done?" Raising a sly brow, she took a good look at the lone globular butt cheek exposed as he lay on his side. She spanked it hard enough to sting and leave a scarlet imprint of her hand.

"Ouch…" Mon-el shrieked in agony. "What was that for?"

"That was for the smartass joke about having a quickie with Bon-bon," Kara teased, tearing the condom packet with her teeth.

"Hey this is unfair!" Mon-el protested before Kara cut him off with a finger on his lips.

"I see you dole out spanks with such passion. But can your fragile princely skin not take it, Your Highness?" Wiggling her eyebrows to mock him, Kara rolled the condom over his erection.

Lips curling into a slow and sexy smile, Mon-el confessed, "No, the spank was really hot! It's the jealousy I'm protesting."

Spanking his butt hander than the last time, Kara made light of his protest, "Oh! You're protesting?"

"Ok more like respectfully disagreeing," he instantly correctly.

Twirling her index finger, Kara ordered, "Roll over on your back if you don't want to be spanked."

"Make me," with a naughty wink, Mon-el challenged.

With one last spank, Kara pushed his shoulder into the pillow and mounted him. Seizing his joystick, to aim it right where she needed it, Kara slowly slid down until she was completely filled by him. "Aaah…" she stilled herself. Using his chest for leverage, she slowly moved over him until she was no longer overwhelmed by his length in this position.

Taking back control from underneath her, Mon-el began to thrust his hips up to pump into her relentlessly when she was least prepared for the onslaught. He clamped his fingers into the tender flesh of her hips and thrust harder until she was all moaning and screaming mess, desperately gasping for air. Playfully slapping her hip, he teased, "Now that you've chosen to sheath me with this pleasure denying monstrosity, I'm mostly immune to your wetness squeezing onto me so tightly." Amused by Kara's failed attempts at forming words, he teased, "You on the other hand…." Thrusting into her hard, he smirked, "You are fucked… quite literally!"

Having a firm hold over her, he had complete sway over the movement of her hips and his merciless thrusts left her completely helpless, even though she was on top. He was perfectly hitting her G-spot and she was slowly but surely losing any influence she had left over her body. She let her head fall back, her hair trickled to her lower back and her nails tore into the skin on his chest. His thrusts only intensified in retaliation.

Watching sweat roll over her bouncing breasts, his gaze travelled to her face, contorting in the cutest manner possible. He could see how badly she was struggling with her desire for control and her body's desire to give it up. Feeling her contractions, he began pulling her hips down with equal fervor to match her thrusts. Her moans failed to escape her mouth as he bounced her slack-mouthed trembling form over him. Her face flushed crimson and with a loud shaky scream, she finally had her release and collapsed onto his chest.

Kara came back from her high, buried into his chest, with him caressing her back. They were still joined at the hip and he was still gently moving inside her, warming her up for round two. Pulling back with conviction, she arched her back and pushed her palms into his thighs, for support and to restrict his movement. "Touch me," she demanded as she began to sensually move her hips at a slow and measured pace.

Mon-el quickly obeyed and squeezed her breasts in his palms, pinching her nipples briefly. Throwing her head back, she groaned with pleasure. Moving her burning gaze to his grey eyes, she clarified, "Not there." All it took was for her gaze dropping to their joined pelvis for Mon-el to get the message loud and clear. There was something so magnetizing about how vocal she was about what she desired from him.

Kara's hips rolled and undulated over him, occasionally pausing to take a spin over his joystick. She moaned with pleasure as he pinched her nipple while his thumb dexterously massaged her hypersensitive bundle of nerves. He watched her intently at length, swaying beautifully over him, completely invested in her pleasure, till his tip of his thumb wrinkled against her completely slick sweet spot. She was absolutely a vision. "Hey… Look at me," he whispered as he felt her channel fluttering.

With a satisfied smile on her face, she curled an inviting index finger, "Come here." She needed his arms wrapped around her when she came. Beaming ear to ear, he propped himself up and gently draped his arms around her, caressing her back as he dropped a kiss on her cheek. Clutching to his shoulders for leverage, Kara sunk her teeth into the base of his neck. She loved how his sweaty muscular chest rubbed against her breast and his strong muscular arms enveloped her. "Are you close?" she murmured against his skin, slowly grinding her hips in this restricting but intimate position.

"Not even a little bit," he whispered into her ear. She giggled and recoiled as his beard tickled her soft chubby cheeks.

"What's so funny?" he pulled back to get a good look at her.

"Your beard." Rolling her shoulders in a half shrug, she innocently confessed, "I'm ticklish."

Pulling her closer in embrace, he nibbled on her ear, taking great pleasure in her giggles as his beard brushed against her cheek. "Stop it!" Kara begged between breathless laughs. Jerking away from him, she bit into his neck in retaliation between muffled laughs and hungry wet kisses against his skin. On a mission to get her to the release she was on the brink of, Mon-el dipped a hand between them and dipped his thumb between their joined pelvises to touch her little soaking wet button. Hugging him as tightly as possible, Kara clawed into his back and sunk her teeth into his shoulder hard enough to draw blood if he didn't flex his muscles in response.

"Naughty girl," he teased, pinching her clit between his thumb and index finger.

"Aah…" Kara suddenly shuddered and tried to flinch away from his grasp, but his hand on her back kept her locked in place. "Aaah… Rao!" she winced as he pinched her again, her clit too sensitive to bear even a little pain. The pain slowly transformed into pleasure when he pinched her again and her insides squirmed in need. "Ok I promise I won't bite," she moaned and as soon as he began to massage her bundle of nerves gently with his thumb, she began moving over him with fervor. She was so close to her release. Holding onto him for dear life, "You're mine," she whispered into his ear possessively, before she gave herself over to the waves of pleasure crashing over her.

He had little faith in things she said in the throes of passion but there was something so adorable about the domination and possessiveness cultivated by jealousy. He was thrilled by her desire to brand him hers and stake a claim over him. When he felt a gush of wetness around his length and her hips stilling, he pushed her back until he was on top of her. Running a hand threw her hair, he kissed her tenderly, rocking his hips to help her ride her wave of pleasure.

As soon as she recovered from her orgasm, he pulled away from the kiss. Kara was left hanging as she chased after his lips. Propping himself up, he tugged at her thighs cradling his hips. His hands slithered slowly over to her calves. Swiftly yanking her legs up in the air, with a subtle wink and a devilish smirk, he parted her legs and spread them as much as the flexibility of her hips allowed him. Pushing into her with a hard unexpected thrust, he teased, "You can't stake a claim over someone without being willing to giving yourself over to them, Kara." With hard thrusts, he would completely pull out and ram his dick in only when Kara pleaded with her little needy moans, instantly turning to loud screams when he would finally bury himself inside her. He continued his onslaught long enough to build his own orgasm within reach despite the pleasure denying condom she sheathed him with. He pulled out for longer to punish her for doing so.

"Mon-el please…" Kara appealed, unable to bear his teasing any longer. She wanted to hold him closer, she wanted to kiss him and most of all she wanted him to stop teasing her and fuck her hard.

"Please what?" he demanded.

"Mon-el… aah… please… aah… stop teasing," Kara struggled to get her words out between thrusts.

"Why?" Lips curling into a devilish smile, he thrust into her.

"Seriously?" Stretching both her arms out, she thrashed them into the mattress in frustration. Mon-el completely pulled out, amused by her reaction. "I want you to get in here and fuck me hard."

Torturously thrusting into her, he teased her more, "You whispered something in my ear right before you came." Shoving his dick again, he continued, "What was it?"

Gasping for breath, Kara confessed, "You're mine."

"Am I, now?" plunging in, he arched a sly brow in question.

"Yes," Kara crunched the bed sheet in her fists until her knuckles were white and looked at Mon-el with stubborn possession.

"And what about you?" Clamping his fingers harder into her tender flesh, he plunged in once again, his resolve growing weak as his own climax approached.

"I'm yours," Kara moaned.

That declaration was all it took for him to let go of her legs and descend over her, propping his weight on his elbows. Forking his fingers through her hair, he kissed her deeply, their tongues tussling in perfect harmony. He fucked her so hard; the music of his dick jamming into her wet channel was louder than the sound of her muffled moans against his mouth. "I'm close as well," he whispered breathlessly against her lips as he felt her contractions once again. With that warning, as she wrapped her legs around his waist and clutched onto his back, he let his weight drop over her. His rock hard damp chest crushed into her breasts, completely covered in sweat. His fingers dug deeper into her hair until he was desperately holding on to her, fingertips massaging her scalp. Moving inside her vehemently, he groaned and grunted with his face buried into her neck. His constantly denied release grew exponentially, as his balls tightened and he could feel it a few thrusts away.

When Kara's moan turned to screams and he felt a gush of wetness and strong contractions squeezing against his length, he let himself go. With a few deep thrusts, he clutched onto her possessively and a momentary heightened clarity washed over him as he came inside her. Nothing stood between them anymore, she was his and he was hers.

Kara drew ran her hands over back and kissed his shoulder tenderly as soon as she was back to reality. "Hi," she whispered sweetly as he moved away to gaze into her eyes.

"Hi," he chucked, slipping out of her. Pulling his condom off, he crawled over to nightstand to dispose it in the tiny condom disposal on the tray.

Kara followed him. Kissing his back, she pulled the covers and sneaked in to rest her sleep deprived and floating in happy hormones head over the pillow. She really needed this after the day she had. Getting a peace treaty signed, sleuthing to sneak into a secret society, coming face to face with death, being held prisoner in her own quarters, coming clean about everything to Mon-el, kissing him, an entire night of passion with little rest, getting Stefan's blessing for them to date, getting promoted to ambassador, finding out she had three more months on Daxam, having the most heartbreaking conversation of her life, licking her wounds at the arena, watching him return from brunch with another woman, letting her walls down, reconciling, accepting him completely and being fucked to oblivion once again. All of that happened during the course of a day, and she thought the day she landed on Daxam would be the most eventful day of her life. Boy was she wrong.

"Tired?" Mon-el asked, lying on his side underneath the sheets, facing her.

"That would be an understatement," she turned over to her side to face him.

Gently caressing her cheek with his fingertips, he smiled, "I think we could both use some sleep after the day we had."

"Only if you wake up with me," Kara inched closer to cuddle with him.

"Oh these feet aren't touching the ground until you're still in bed with me." Snuggling up with her, he kissed the top of her head.

"Hey, Mon-el… I know I have trying to dodge this conversation since morning, but I really want this… us… for as long as I am here on Daxam." Kara professed, while she was buried in his chest.

It was a bittersweet realization, knowing that she was his but only for the next three months. He knew what he planned to do in that time. He was going to make every day count. He wanted to fill every moment of her life with joy and he had no intention of letting go of her until he absolutely had to. Holding her tighter, he let out a defeated sigh, "I would love that, until the very last second of your three months on Daxam."

"Well…." drawing circles on his chest, Kara clarified, "I'm the acting ambassador for the duration of three months or until a new ambassador is appointed, whichever comes first." Noticing the sudden horror in Mon-el's eyes as she looked up, she explained, "I mean, I doubt anyone on Krypton would volunteer to be the new ambassador anytime soon considering how all the diplomats basically fled Daxam." Watching the color return to Mon-el face, Kara chuckled, "But, I could stay on as acting ambassador for longer if I wanted to and if things get serous between us, I could simply apply for the position of ambassador."

Blinking repeatedly with disbelief, yet a dopey grin slowly bubbling on his lips, Mon-el was taken aback, "You would really do that? For me? Leave your entire world behind and stay here on Daxam?"

"It's a huge step up from my previous position. Maybe having you and being ambassador is enough," Kara looked gazed into his eyes with butterflies in her stomach.

That tugged at his heartstrings in unimaginable ways, he never expected someone to give up anything at all for him. His lips curled up in a blissful smile and his eyed softened into the most pure childlike gaze, "You think so?"

Kara's heart melted into a puddle after looking at his face. Running her fingers over his beard, he inched closer to him and snuggled up against his chest to get some much needed rest. If there was one thing Mon-el knew with absolute certainty, it was that he was never going to give Kara a reason to leave and with every passing day, he would give her a new reason to stay. With that resolution, he fell asleep with her in his arms.


	20. Chapter 20

**Desert Rose**

It had been a month of a clandestine affair between the Prince of Daxam and the acting Kryptonian ambassador well concealed within the halls of the East Wing. Every moment Kara was not at the Kryptonian Embassy, trying to salvage the chaotic mess her fellow Kryptonians had left behind, she spent shacking up in Mon-el's personal chambers, relishing the domesticity and sexual bliss of a budding romance. She couldn't even recall the last time she spent more than a few minutes in her own room. Even her training sessions at the arena were few and far between. They were inseparable.

Kara wasn't prepared to deal with the aftermath of a Kryptonian diplomat dating the Prince of Daxam, considering how much her home planet's tabloids despised him, the royal family and Daxam as a whole. Mon-el wasn't concerned about the tabloids or the general public finding out about them. He was used to the attention and the hate ever since he was the famous royal baby. His biggest concern was his mother. With every passing day, he grew more concerned about Kara's safety. He knew, he was just being paranoid and it was simply past trauma eating away at his happiness, but the harder they worked at hiding their relationship, the more he stressed about keeping it hidden. The last thing he wanted was to find out the Queen's reaction to her son romantically involved with a Kryptonian.

None of that stopped either of them from stealing kisses throughout the palace, sneaking off to hidden nooks and crannies, or cracking inside jokes in front of oblivious habitants of the palace. Mon-el was quite aware that his visits to the Kryptonian embassy would spark suspicion but their lunch dates under the guise of business luncheons never ceased to amuse him. Nothing brought him greater joy than showing up at her office on busy days with food. He had quickly figured out that there was nothing Kara loved more than hearty comfort food. He was also quick to pick up the culinary skills required to cook Kryptonian cuisine. Despite the continued protests of the kitchen staff, he was quite adamant about having complete control over his top secret romantic surprises.

Kara had honestly never dated someone as thoughtful as him. He wasn't a person of grand gestures and expensive gifts, despite what his title had people believe. Instead, he was more about little heartwarming things which showed that he listened, wanted to understand her and put thought and effort into his romantic gestures.

They could talk for hours exchanging views on every subject under the sun. She loved how she could share all details of her life on Krypton with him so easily. The only regret she had was, despite how forthcoming he was about the details of life which were easy to talk about, when it came to his secret society meetings, the purpose of the shadow organization, Katherine's death, his mother, his obvious childhood issues, and his true feelings about upholding his title; he kept Kara at arm's length. She could understand his reasons and she knew it was a lot to ask for from a relationship so young, she just wished he would open up to her.

She was even warming to the idea of having staff and guards in the room, only if they left for the sitting area when she was in a state of undress and returned only when she was somewhat decent, which was a stretch for her current state. Lying on her stomach on his bed, she furiously typed on the laser keyboard projected on the bed sheets, wearing nothing but one of his white crisp formal shirts, which teased at the black thong she wore underneath. Mon-el was reading a book, lying shirtless on his back, using one of her exposed butt cheeks as a pillow.

"Urgh…this is hard…this is so much harder than I anticipated," Kara grumbled as she read another demanding and thankless work email.

Using his finger as a bookmark, Mon-el closed his book and tilted his head slightly to cast an unsure glance at her. He wasn't sure if it was a rhetorical question or if he should press further. "What is?"

"All of this! Everything!" Shaking her head stubbornly, Kara turned her head to look at her adorably confused boyfriend. "I've replaced most of the staff at the embassy with Kryptonian service robots. But they keep denying my request to hire Daxamites in any capacity. How am I supposed to run an entire embassy full of robots, all by myself? Your lunch visits are the only part of my workday when I'm interacting with a living and breathing person instead of robots and holograms," Kara rambled on until she noticed Mon-el's failed attempt at concealing a smile. "My life is in shambles and you think it's funny?" Kara huffed turning her head back at stare at the levitating virtual screen in front of her.

Putting his book aside, Mon-el crawled his way beside her, lying on his stomach as well. Bumping his shoulder against hers, he tried to get her attention, "Hey…."

"What?" Kara retorted absentmindedly.

"I completely understand how difficult your life is right now," he said sincerely.

"You do?" Kara looked at him, doe eyed.

A mischievous smiled dangled at the corner of his lips, "I mean you're the youngest peacekeeper to negotiate a ceasefire between Krypton and Daxam, the last person holding that record was twice your age. You're the youngest ambassador in the galaxy." Pointing a cocky hand at his torso, "You get to mount this stud several times a day. That's such a hard life Kara…I honestly can't imagine anything worse…seriously!"

Eyes narrowing to crinkled slits, Kara listened to him with frustration slowly bubbling inside her. She chose the wrong day to be snarky, "You know what? You can kiss my ass!" Punching his shoulder lightly, Kara looked away. When she heard the sheets ruffle beside her and felt him moving, Kara tuned her head back to notice his pursed lips hanging in the air over her butt cheek. "Don't you dare!" she scolded, pointing a condemning finger at him as he inched closer slowly with defiance in his eyes.

Despite her attempt at being mad at him, Kara couldn't hold back her laughter when he dropped a kiss. "But seriously, there has to be more to life than work and sex," Kara asked him when she finally stopped laughing.

"I thought those are your two favorite things in the world, after food of course," Mon-el pulled away and sat with his legs folded, "and punching stuff".

"That's not true." Playfully punching him, Kara instantly objected before Mon-el tilted his head in disbelief. "Ok fine, it's true. I just want something outside the realm of the embassy and your bed chambers."

Eyes sparkling with enthusiasm, Mon-el shot up from his place and got out of bed, "Do you mean, you are finally ready to make this relationship public and start going out on dates? Gods, Kara, I have so many ideas, I don't even know where to start." Pacing around in excitement, he recommended, "There's this beautiful place…."

Kara cut him off, "I'm still not ready to go public. The tabloids are going to completely butcher our happiness."

"So she's happy and there's an 'our'?" he beamed. "Here I thought you just wanted to keep your Daxamite boyfriend a secret from your fellow Kryptonians because you are ashamed to be with me." Running a hand over the back of his head, his gaze dropped with embarrassment. Clandestine affairs weren't really a thing on Daxam. All it did was fanning his paranoia and insecurity. It was very uncomfortable and anxiety inducing at times.

"Of course I'm happy, Mon-el. Come here," she extended her hand for him to hold. When he timidly drew closer to her and held her hand, she looked up into his eyes to assure him, "I am so proud to be in this relationship. There's not an ounce of shame I feel for being with you. But Kryptonian media can be unforgiving and unlike you, I have no experience being on their bad side. I am just not prepared for the judgmental shame fest."

"That's why we need to get a take charge of the narrative and come out as a couple on our own terms instead of waiting for them to tell our story," Mon-el bargained.

"And exactly how are we going to do that?" Rolling her eyes, Kara already knew what his answer was going to be.

"We throw a parade!" He declared, throwing his hands up in excitement, like a five year old.

"No…no parades…absolutely not! Sometimes I just wish I could run away from this solar system," Kara grumbled, burying her face in her hands.

"Yeah, me too," Mon-el sat at the edge of the bed beside her in defeat.

Coming to a sudden realization, they both looked at each other. "Let's do that!" Kara squealed.

"Have you heard of this planet, Sedenach?" Mon-el inquired, running his fingers through her curls.

"Oh, yeah… I've spend a few solstices on Sedenach with my parents when I was younger." Kara sighed with pleasure, recalling happy childhood memories. "The Bismuth Mountains there are my favorite corner of the galaxy. The land would grow right underneath our feet and there were all those crystal staircases to raise us up. It was absolutely magical." Kara looked up at him with such wonder in her eyes.

Tucking a loose curl behind her ear, Mon-el smiled endearingly, "Yeah, it's my favorite as well. You know, we have great trade relations with them. There's even a transmatter portal between Daxam and Sedenach, we can travel in secret and no one on Krypton would ever find out."

Kara was curious to find out the reason for his love for the planet, "What was your first Sedenach experience?"

"Took a girl there once. It's a great spot, you know..." Mon-el trailed off as soon as he noticed the smile on Kara's face disappear.

"You know…I don't think it's a good idea for me to go on a vacation…with everything going on at the embassy." She hated letting insecurity get the best of her but there was this dark pit in her gut which would open up from time to time with the only purpose of swallowing her happiness against her will. What she hated more was the guilt-ridden look plastered on Mon-el's face. He tried so hard to be a good boyfriend, too hard, always afraid to make a mistake and there was nothing more she wanted than to make him feel more secure in this relationship. She just had no idea how to do that.

Shrugging off his guilt, Mon-el rushed to assuage ruffled feathers, "You know what? I might have the perfect solution for our little conundrum for escaping reality without going too far." Clutching her hand, he pulled her out of bed, "Quick, get dressed." Picking up a her simple white gown with spaghetti straps and his royal blue jacket lying on the bed, he refused to give her any context of what crazy adventure he had planned for them.

Fingers laced together, Mon-el lead her through the halls of the East Wing. Kara couldn't help but chuckle as she scurried behind him, trying to keep up with his pace. "Where are you taking me?" she giggled.

"You'll find out soon," tucking her arm into his formally, he switched to a much more measured pace as soon as they exited the East Wing.

As soon as he guided them to a hall way she had only walked through once before, her lips curled up in an affectionate smile. "You're taking me to the Oasis room aren't you?"

With a cocky wink and a confident smile, "Maybe…" he teased as they strolled towards his little surprise.

"I know… I know you're taking me to the little green paradise that is your indoor forest. I've been here before, remember? That was me you brought here," Kara stressed. Did he not remember that he walked her to the Oasis room on her first morning on Daxam or did he assume it was another paramour of his?

"What do you mean?" Mon-el snorted at that insinuation, "Of course I remember walking you to the Oasis room. Just…can you just let play along? I'm trying to surprise you," he whined charmingly.

"I mean it's beautiful, the only patch of greenery for miles in this desert," Kara stated matter-of-factly as they approached the beautifully carved giant wooden gates, "But I know what lies behind those gates. It's a sweet gesture, but there's really not much mystery left for me…."

As soon as the guards opened the gates¸ the wind was knocked out of her sails. Gasping for air, Kara's jaw dropped and she stared bug eyed, her gaze switching between the wonders ahead of her and Mon-el in disbelief. "Breathe Kara, breathe," Mon-el reminded her, stroking her back. Amused by her reaction, he held her hand and escorted her inside. With a childlike toothy grin, he stretched his free hand out, "I'm not entirely finished with the vision I had in mind, but what do you think?"

Walking under the canopy which was earlier adorned with beautiful creepers. Kara was rendered speechless by the countless flowers trickling down magically in a beautiful symphony of blue, lilac, pink and white. It was unlike anything she had ever seen before. At the end of the canopy, lay the beautiful paradise perched right in the middle of Daxamite palace, stretching all the way from the base to the tip of the pyramid. Only now, it wasn't just the kind of lush greenery which was sight for sore eyes on Daxam but it was accompanied by a wonderful splash with color. There were bushes, arches and creepers running over the walls adorned with flowers in full bloom. There was even a cherry blossom tree in a corner.

Her gaze fell to the shallow ponds close to her feet. Beautiful lotuses and water lilies were floating over the water. "Flowers," Kara whispered raising a shaky palm to her mouth as her vision began to blur. Breathing in the beautiful fragrance of forest, mixed with that of a florist shop on Krypton, "Is this room really filled with flowers or am I imagining it?"

Raising a sly brow, Mon-el buried his hands in his pocket and raised his shoulders in question, "Do you like it?"

"Like it?" Taking a good look around the room, Kara looked back at Mon-el, "I absolutely love it! When did you…? How did you…?" Scrambling for words, she forked her fingers through her hair and shook her head as she looked back at the heavenly sight ahead of her.

"When I first invited you here, you brought the existence of these magnificent things called flowers to my attention and told me how much you love them. So, I might have done my research on them and ordered some from Krypton which won't destabilize this controlled environment." He explained like it was the most normal thing for someone to do.

"Some?" Kara smirked, stretching her arms out at bring his attention to their surroundings.

"Ok, I might have gone a little overboard," tapping a finger over his lips, he looked around. "But they are so pretty…."

"Yes! Yes they are," Kara squealed, pulling him by the arm and running off to explore all of it. Crushing the grass underneath her feet, they raced underneath the canopies and arches splashed with shades of red and pink. She finally came to a standstill to catch her breath beside the cherry blossom tree. Staring up at its majesty like a doe eyed child, she ran a hand through the white rose bush beside her. "How did you get that in here?" she nodded at the cherry blossom tree.

Mon-el chuckled, "Yes, that was the hardest part. I'm sure there are more than few people who still hate me for it. But it was all worth it," his eyes softened as he caressed her cheek.

"Wait," an unsure smile crept up on Kara's lips, "you didn't just do all of this for me, did you?"

"Who else would I have done it for?" he said with such conviction and sincerity.

"I don't know, I thought flowers just sparked your curiosity." Color slowly gushing into her cheeks, Kara looked away uncomfortably flattered.

Scratching his beard in embarrassment, his gaze fell to the white rose bush. "Yes, I mean they did but that contributed very little to my motivations," he confessed, as his fingers fiddled with the stem of the most beautiful rose he saw.

With butterflies in her stomach and a dopey grin on her face, Kara inched closer to him, "You know, I've only seen flowers in florist shops and vases. This is the first time I've seen them in their natural habitat." Looking up in careful consideration, she corrected herself, "Well natural…ish…."

Plucking the rose he was fiddling with, Mon-el peeked at her from the corner of his eye, "Really?"

"Yeah… It's just so beautiful," throwing her hands up in wonder, Kara tried to absorb every bit of beauty she could. "Like, I can't even pick a favorite. Which ones do you find the prettiest?"

Mon-el smirked as he turned to face her. Inching closer, he offered her the white rose he was fiddling with, "This one…"

"White roses?" Kara bit her lip as her gaze moved back up from the rose to his eyes.

"No, you…You're the prettiest flower in here and my absolute favorite," he teased.

Trying to control her laughter and failing, "You're so cheesy! I'm not a flower, pick a flower."

Tucking the white rose behind her ear, he adorably declared, "Well, now this one is the prettiest."

Shaking her head in disbelief, "You're something." With that declaration, Kara pivoted on his heel and took off for the wooden bridge.

Chasing after her, he climbed to the top of the bridge facing the artificial waterfall. The very spot where they had their first real conversation which helped them build a bridge between the very different worlds they came from and find a common ground. "Hey, you can't just walk away from me like that," he complained.

"Why?" Clutching to the railing, Kara asked without turning back to look at him.

"Because, I have more cheesy lines to drop on you," gripping the railing he dropped a chaste kiss on her lips.

"No! No more cheesy lines. If I burst with joy, my blood will be on your hands," she bumped her shoulder against his, all giddy. "A flower? A bouquet? Oh no, you had to go full Daxamite with an Oasis room full of flowers. I still can't believe you've been up to this ever since we got together," Kara gazed at him affectionately.

"No, actually I put in my first order the day I brought you here," he corrected.

"What?" Kara cocked her head, completely shocked. "You barely knew me. Only a day had passed since we met."

"What can I say…?" he pouted, rolling his shoulders in a half shrug. "You left an impression."

Turning to completely face him, Kara asked in a small voice, "What if I left for Krypton when I was supposed to?"

"Then all of this," twirling a finger around to vaguely point at their surroundings, "would have served as a beautiful reminder of you, the fearless and stubborn Kryptonian whose eyes burned as bright as comets." He clutched his chest dramatically to pretending to be heartbroken.

"Comets?" Kara giggled, "When did you come up with that cheesy analogy?"

"When I saw you up close for the first time," he confessed. When he noticed the disbelief on her face, he tried to defend himself, "Hey, it sounded a lot less cheesy in my head back then. You quite literally fell from the sky. Umm, I-I remember. You noticed this large fleet of guards…and I think you must have been fearful or something, because your eyes were insanely blue. I men, they always are, but they were like…like comets. And I had never seen anyone so stunning…."

Interrupting his rambling, Kara dived in for a kiss with an urgent need for him. Pulling away she inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly, "I would have never guessed that was going on in your mind, considering the grim look on your hardened face I saw for the first time when you took off that super shady hood."

"Hey…it's not that shady," he protested, snaking his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. "And I'm not grim and hardened."

"I know that now, what a big old softie you are underneath that hard muscular exterior, but I didn't know you back then." Feeling up his chest underneath her palm, "All I could see was disappointment and worry on yours and Stefan's faces."

"Well we were worried for your safety and a little surprised to see you, but neither of us was disappointed, I can assure you that," he said grasping her lower lip between his lips.

"Neither of you?" Kara quipped, arching her brow as she snorted.

"It took him less than five seconds to vocalize what I was only thinking. He might be difficult to please as far as combat training goes but the man appreciates beauty above all," Mon-el chuckled, amused by the shock on her face.

"That's almost impossible to picture, just last week he said, ' _You annoyed me so little today, I almost forgot you're a Kryptonian,_ ' and he couldn't understand why I was offended by such a lovely compliment," Kara tilted her head in frustration before both of them were hysterically laughing.

Regaining control, Kara looked back at the oasis room full of flowers and back at Mon-el, "How are you so good at this?"

"At what?" he asked.

Combing her fingers through his beard, she smiled lovingly, "Being such an amazing boyfriend? I thought you were fairly new to dating, how are you so much better at it than me?"

"Hey, I have passion…I'm a passionate person. Just because my romantic experience hasn't been as vanilla as yours, doesn't mean it was non-existent!" he declared with playful conviction.

"Oh yes, you've been married." His body stiffened at the uncomfortable reminder. Kara immediately steered the conversation in the direction of a much more alive romantic partner, "I'm very curious to find out Stefan's version of a grand gesture such as this," she nodded back at the room.

"I gifted him this ancient dagger from a far off planet made of a material called lead, which cannot be wielded by a pure-blooded Daxamite but a single cut can poison one to the point of excruciating pain and even death. It's his favorite" Mon-el declared with such pride.

"Wow! That's romantic," Kara mocked.

"Different things bring joy to different people, there's no universal roadmap for romance," he pouted.

Embracing yet another peal of wisdom, Kara inched closer to his mischievously, "Well, there is this one common denominator." Raking her index finger from his chest to his abs, Kara looked up at him with an unquenchable thirst in her eyes.

"Well, there's one thing which involves you getting out of that dress that would bring me a lot of joy," he smirked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"I thought you would never ask…we've never done it in here." Pushing the strings over her shoulders, Kara looked around absentmindedly as the dress fell to her feet, "What do you think, against this railing? Facing the waterfall?" Turning away to look at that tree, "Or do I climb you like a tree, against the cherry blossom tree. Ooh or…."

Mon-el snaked an arm around her shoulder and another underneath her hips when she was too distracted. Interrupting her musings, he added, "Yes…yes…but first, we need to get you wet."

"Yes!" Kara beamed, looking back at him. He suddenly picked her up. Kara squealed with excitement as he swept her off her feet, "What are you doing?" As soon as she noticed his eyes gleaming with devilry, she knew what he had in mind. "No, Mon-el…no…don't you dare!"

Despite her empty threats, he dropped her into the pool under the bridge. Kicking his boots off and stripping out of his clothes, he too jumped off the railing after her and plunged into the water feet first.

Furiously getting her wet hair out of her face, Kara floated over the water when the water splashed next to her. "I hate you!" Kara declared as she breast stroked her way over to the waterfall.

"Come on! Don't be like that. Remember what an amazing boyfriend I am?" he swam after her.

"You're way beyond your boy years," Kara twirled around, completely infuriated with him.

"Wow! Mocking my age? I never expected you to fight that dirty," Mon-el grumbled, feigning offense and splashed some water at her.

Kara splashed more water at him in retaliation and before they knew, they were engaged in a full blown splash war. Shoving him underneath the waterfall to put an end to the madness, Kara scolded, "Stop it!"

"Who's old, now?" he mocked, emerging from the stream. He plastered his wet hair back with both his hands, flexing his arms seductively, knowing full well it was her weakness.

A smile burst through, despite her attempt to stay mad at him. "Yes," she answered without giving him any context.

"Yes?" he tilted his head quizzically.

"Yes, let's travel to Sedenach together. I can take a few days off from work, most of the day to day work is being handled perfectly by the service robots and it's not like Krypton and Daxam will go to war as soon as we leave," Kara half shrugged. She couldn't be constantly wrapped up in the drama of their planets, she earned a vacation. If every single diplomat in that embassy could take a long term leave of absence and leave her alone to hold the fort, she could have at least a long weekend worth of leisure time with her adorable goofball outside their comfort zone. After all, there was no better way to tell if a relationship would last than travelling together.

Swimming closer to her, he kissed her, "Yeah? I would love nothing more."

After their really long rendezvous at the oasis room, they felt best to leave separately to avoid suspicion. Gushing with excitement, Kara scurried through the hallways of the palace when Rhea walked into her path and wiped the grin off Kara's face. "Your majesty," Kara greeted her, immediately skidded to an abrupt halt.

"Kara, I was about to summon you. How wonderful to run into you here," Rhea snapped her fingers at her guards, expecting service.

With great hesitation, Kara asked in a small voice, "Summon me? Why?"

Looming closer to Kara, Rhea brushed her wet hair behind her shoulder, with a motherly touch. "I see you had a great time in the oasis room with my son. I hear he made a few uncharacteristic changes in there," she smirked knowingly.

"N-No, I was just…I-I" Kara stuttered, desperately wanting an escape from this uncomfortable situation she stumbled upon.

Raising a palm to cut her off, Rhea calmly stated, "I'm not stupid, child. I know what goes on under my roof. I have lived long enough to get a read on these things." Rhea chuckled, amused by the look on Kara's face, "Plus you two haven't exactly been as discreet as you would think."

"Are you mad?" Kara asked like a little kid caught red handed with their hand in the cookie jar.

"Mad? Absolutely not!" flashing a lackluster smile, Rhea looked away at Shadow Lass, who just showed up with a fancy box in her hands. Kara silently greeted Shadow with a polite nod. Lips curling with icy contempt, Shadow opened the box, revealing a beautiful necklace; a large heart-shaped deep blue stone in the center, framed by tiny diamonds, hanging by an equally glorious chain. "This belonged to Mon-el's great grandmother. The stone was stolen a few years ago in a heist." Plucking the necklace from its case, Rhea walked around Kara like a predator stalks its prey till she was standing behind her. "I had it reset. It's a newly discovered precious stone. We named it Kryptonite, after your planet. Do you like it?" Slipping it over her neckline, Rhea waited for Kara to hold her hair up.

Touching the pendant delicately, Kara couldn't contain her happiness. "You named it after my planet?" Kara swept her hair out of the way for Rhea to secure the clasp. Blinking her eyes repeatedly in disbelief, she asked, "Why would you gift a family heirloom to me?"

Gripping Kara's shoulders, Rhea turned her around, "You know why." Holding Kara's face with a tender motherly touch, Rhea smiled at her, "Now run along to wherever you were off to."

"Thanks for the wonderful gift, Your Majesty," Kara beamed with joy before she cruised her way to her room.

"That was like stealing candy from a baby," Rhea laughed as she watched Kara walk away. "Let the experiment begin…."


	21. Chapter 21

**Interplanetary Honeymooning**

Taking Kara's hand in his, Mon-el ushered her through the transmatter portal. The lavender gate rippled with electricity as the pair of them tore through the very fabric of space and time to walk out into the other end of the galaxy. Stepping into the lush green meadow kissed by the mystifying rays of the blue sun, they arrived at Mon-el's favorite part of the Bismuth Mountains on the planet Sedenach.

Last time Kara was here, she was a child and it was definitely strange to compare reality to the canvas to childhood memories. Bismuth Mountains were still magical. The bare mountain peaks and rocks appeared as if someone spilled paint of several vibrant colors into water, swirled it around into enchanting patterns, and froze it into sparkling and perfectly cut crystals. They glimmered beautifully in the blue rays of the sun. Granted, Kara romanticized it in her mind as a little girl and retained a much more magical memory, the majesty of the mountain range still took her breath away, despite the pragmatic side effects of adulthood.

Kara let her lungs fill up on the fresh air laced with the fragrance of lush greenery and something uniquely Sedenach, which could only be summarized in one word… _magic_. Letting out a dreamy breath, she turned around to look at Mon-el.

With an enamored smile on his lips and the kind of wonder in his eyes, which she had in hers when she was taking in the beauty of the Bismuth Mountains, Mon-el clenched his chest and sighed, "Comets…those eyes of yours…in the light of the blue sun...will undoubtedly be the death of me."

Shaking her head bashfully, Kara's gaze fell to her feet, "You know what will be the death of me?"

Pumping his eyebrows mischievously, Mon-el inched closer, "What?"

"You waking me up at five in the morning," Kara poked a condemning finger into his chest. "Seriously Mon-el, I have never seen you wake up that early in the morning…never!"

Raising his shoulders in a half shrug, Mon-el said matter-of-factly, "What can I say? I'm an over enthusiastic morning person when I travel. So much to explore… so many adventures to be had… such limited time at our disposal. We must make the most of the daylight at our disposal today."

Huffing out a tired breath, Kara's ran a palm over his chest absentmindedly. "I thought we'll relax for a while at wherever we are staying. Where are we staying?" she tilted her head quizzically.

Pointing at a quaint mountain far away mostly covered in lush greenery, with only a hint of colorful bismuth crystals glistening at the peak, he informed her "There…there's a cozy little cottage by the river with amazing view of the setting sun. All of our stuff is already there, we aren't going anywhere near that until dusk."

"But…but what about relaxing?" Kara pouted.

"Stop pouting! And relaxing? Are you sure you're over a decade younger than I am? Or is your youthful appearance somehow tied to blood magic?" Mon-el's eyebrow arched with suspicion.

"Oh," Kara broke into an incredulous laugh, "you are going to regret those words by the end of the day." With that warning, Kara turned on her heel and sprinted off through the grassland, jumping off the cliff with her arms open.

Shaking his head in disbelief, Mon sighed and followed after her with disgruntled steps. Looking down the cliff, he saw Kara happily rolling over to look at him, joyfully lying on a fluffy piece of grassland on a ledge extended underneath the edge of the cliff. "For someone who hasn't visited Sedenach in years, that's an awful lot of confidence in this planet's concern for your wellbeing," he folded his arms like an adult scolding a disobedient child.

"Oh live a little and get in here," Kara patted the piece of land beside her suggestively. Another layer of colorful bismuth crystals grew underneath the grass to make the ledge sturdier right before Mon-el jumped over it. Both of them rolled over their stomachs to rest their chins on their folded forearms on the grass. They had a good view the emerald green valley, completely enveloped with trees. A torrential river cut through the green of the valley with its vibrant blue. Hazy river mist clung to the surface due to the violent flow. Turning to rest her cheek on her forearm, Kara looked up at Mon-el, "It wasn't trust in the planet. It was an understanding of its science. Do you know why the Bismuth Mountains move underneath your feet when you walk off a cliff or why colorful crystal staircases raise you to your intended destinations if you step on their exposed crystal stumps?"

"Yes, I've read about it. Sedenach is a sentient planet, everything evolved together in perfect harmony. There's a network connecting every inch of this planet much like our nervous system. But even though the planet is able to pick up on our intentions, the connection is not as strong as the one indigenous life forms share with the planet." Pouting, he looked at Kara from the corner of his eye, "It was a great risk."

"When has anyone ever died in an accident on Sedenach?" Kara retorted, stretching an arm out in frustration. Rolling over to her back, she teased, "Scaredy-cat!"

"I am not a Scaredy-cat," Mon-el declared, shuffling closer to hold her. Towering over her, he challenged, "Since you're feeling so invincible, what's your take on adventure sports?"

Gasping, Kara flinched back, "Who are you and what did you do to my soft pacifist Mon-el?"

"Just because I'm a pacifist, doesn't mean I can't gamble with my own life for some good adrenalin high, on a planet where no one dies in an accident." With a cocky wink and confident smile, he leaned in for a kiss.

It was a crazy day, not the most adventurous day they would have on the planet, but it had its own charm. First they tried bungee jumping, and they were soon addicted to the feeling of being weightless while soaring into the ground, only to fly back up in the air. It was exhilarating, to get a glimpse of what it must feel like to fly. To chase the addiction further, they decided to jump off a plane and sky dive. Holding hands they laughed they floated, completely weightless, until they had to sadly open their parachutes and fall back on land safely. It all went by so quickly, so they decided to go paragliding. They knew they couldn't fly but at least they could glide leisurely in the air for an hour. It might not be as exhilarating but it was so peacefully beautiful, the illusion of having wings, if only for an hour. The most serene smiles graced their faces as their feet touched the ground. Unbuckling their respective harnesses, they ran towards each other and kissed like they never had before.

Their river rafting adventure from their current location to their cottage took an unexpected turn which descended upon Kara's invincible spirit like a bolt from the blue. She had never been more scared in her life, not even the day she left Krypton to stop a bloody war.

Cuddled up outside their cozy little cottage, they sat on the porch steps, wrapped in a blanket. Kara sat between Mon-el's legs, leaning against his bare chest. Their naked bodies were completely cocooned by a large comforter. Watching the wine colored sunset between the two lush green mountains in front of them, as the colorful Bismuth crystal peaks glimmered in purple undertones, Mon-el dropped a tender kiss on Kara's head. There was not a single soul other than the two of them for miles and the only sound that filled their ears was the gushing river so close to the cottage that occasionally a drop or two would fall to on their faces, kissed by the gentle warmth of diminishing lavender sun rays.

Tilting her head back to look up at him, Kara sighed, "You scared me there for a moment, today…."

Mon-el's brows bumped together in bewilderment, "When I fell from the raft? It was nothing Kara. One moment I was paddling along with you, nothing but the wildest rapid ahead of us and the next moment I realized I was floating in the river. I had my lifejacket on…there was really nothing to worry about. The guide threw me the rope as soon as we were through that rapid."

"He didn't let me go after you," her lips pursed into the most adorable pout.

Mon-el chucked, "That's a good thing Kara. I doubt there was much you could do but float with me until the current settled down a little. Honestly, it wasn't scary at all!"

"For you," Kara pulled away to turn and look straight at him, "My entire world came crashing down in front of my eyes when I saw you fling out of the boat, plunging into turbulent waters. The rocks your skull was going to crash into moved away at the very last moment. Do you have any idea how terrifying that was?"

"I thought you had complete faith in the fact that no one dies in an accident on this self aware planet?" Mon-el raised an eyebrow to tease her, as he pulled her back, holding her close against his chest.

Crossing her hands stubbornly, she huffed as her head leaned against his chest once again. "Just because I knew you wouldn't get hurt, doesn't mean I didn't shake to my bones at that terrifying sight."

"Hey, if that terrifying sight was the reason for all the incredible adrenaline laced ' _Thank the Gods you survived_ ' sex we just had, leaving the entire cabin in a state of total upheaval, then I would gladly jump off a raft every single day of my life." Pulling her closer, he kissed her cheek repeatedly.

Slapping his arm as hard as she could underneath the sheet, she protested, "You would put me through hell on a daily basis simply for great sex?"

"I mean if you put it like that…" Mon-el tilted his head in careful contemplation, the realization finally sinking in how much she cared about the life he had such little regard for. "I would never do that to you." Leaning his head against the wooden pillar beside the porch steps they were sitting on, Mon-el let out a satisfied sigh as he watched the sunset with someone who made him feel loved. This right here felt more like home than the palace ever did. It was as if he spent his entire life running from his circumstances, taking solace in his travels throughout the galaxy but he never stumbled upon a destination that made him feel like, there was somewhere he belonged. The warmth seeping into his heart was that odd alien feeling pulling at his heart strings. "I wish we could stay here forever," he murmured against her hair.

Kara chucked, "We can't do that!"

"Why not?" he asked, in an innocent childlike tone.

Struggling to find a reasonable explanation to leave this paradise, with a heavy heart, Kara let out a defeated breath. "Because…because we are adults…there's work and responsibilities we have to eventually get back to. I mean, I have started navigating my way through my career, but you have a pretty iron clad title to uphold," resting her cheek against his chest, Kara looked up and teased, "Your Highness."

The satisfied smile on Mon-el's face instantly dropped at the mention of that wretched title. "Do you know why I love to travel so much?"

Shaking her head against his chest, Kara's eyes grew wider with curiosity, "Because it's exhilarating to discover creations that push your definitions of possible and discover new cultures?"

Raking his fingers through her hair, he smiled at her endearingly. "Yes, those are wonderful reasons for interplanetary travel."

"But those aren't your reasons," Kara's eyebrows bumped together in a scowl. His lips were curled in a smile but his eyes told another story.

"When I'm not on Daxam, I'm no one's prince. I'm just Mon-el, the regular guy." He looked away, realizing how selfish he might sound to someone with a strong sense of duty, "I know it's selfish. I know I have responsibilities. I know the fate of my planet rests on what kind of a king I will be someday, but I'm just not cut out to be a politician. This is not the life I chose, I was born to bear this burden. And it's not like I would run away from it, but I like to dwell on those fantasies sometimes. It's the only thing that helps me hold on to my sanity."

Rubbing a gentle hand over his forearm, "Hey, look at me." When he reluctantly turned back, his eyes desperately searched for something in hers. Kara knew that look too well, it was the same guilt and search for disappointment she saw every time he thought he made a mistake. "That's a completely valid thing to feel, I chose my profession and I still have those thoughts sometimes. Help me understand, why do you feel that you aren't cut out to be a politician?"

As his lips set in a grim line, he shrugged his shoulders in defeat, "Because everyone wishes to live in a Utopian world. But it is one thing to wish for change, to have a vision for reform or even form a solid strategy and gather network of supporters to help you execute your plans and it is an entirely different thing to actually bring about change. And every time I try to practically envision the legacy I would leave behind, all I can see is a naïve fool who failed miserably."

"Hey," caressing his cheek, Kara assured, "The fact that you care about your vision so much instead of being consumed for a hunger for power is the very thing that'll make a better king than any other head of state in Daxam's history."

Shaking his head furiously, Mon-el refused to believe that, "That is exactly what Stefan says every time I express my doubts, but the truth is Katherine was supposed to be the Queen and I was meant to strategize for her. I am not a leader. I neither have the strength to make hard choices nor do I have the valor to lead the charge at the front lines during a conflict." Letting out an ironic laugh, he added, "I don't even think I could give hope and inspiration to people with my words."

Realizing the horrors he hid behind that regal façade, Kara tucked both her arms underneath his to hug him tight. "You sell yourself too short. Maybe you're not the leader Daxam demands but you're definitely the leader it needs." Stroking her palms over his back tenderly, she tried to give him some hope, "You might not be cut out to lead the charge at the front lines, but you have Stefan. Making tough choices shouldn't come easy to anyone, that's why they are called tough choices. A good leader has councils of advisors to help them through these choices, something you already intend to do. As far as inspirational speeches go, you can always get good speech writers to help you find the right words to express your thoughts."

"Well Stefan is an excellent writer," he joked, trying to steer the conversation in a less vulnerable direction.

Pulling away in shock, Kara stared at him with her jaw dropped, "He is?" Blinking repeatedly in disbelief, "Never took him for a ' _The pen is_ _mightier than the sword'_ person. Who knew?"

"Well," he stressed, "He's definitely more of a sword person, but he writes beautifully. He's very secretive about it, only allows me to read his work but he does have a way with words. His troops would march into the gates of Hell if he commanded them to; such is his sway with words. Though his speeches have an effect much different from what I would prefer."

"Then find the right spokesperson who can evoke the right sentiments in your people, in the hopeful and inspiring way you want them to," Kara offered a simple solution to all his problems. "It's simple," she added. What she failed to understand was…it was not the solution that he wanted…it was the desire to be understood. And the moment that realization hit her, it wiped the smile off her face. "It's not about being that King some day is it? You wish you weren't the Prince of Daxam."

He desperately tried to feign a smile but his face crushed to a state of gloom. His grey eyes pained with a hint of violet against the setting sun when he bobbed his head in defeat, "No...I wish I wasn't shackled to this title."

Narrowing her eyes to crinkled slits, Kara thought out loud, "It's not just the title, is it? It's an honorable and prestigious title which comes with several privileges…."

Interrupting her, Mon-el looked away, "Yes, the perks are nice."

She wasn't going to let him laugh it off. Ignoring him, Kara continued, "It's not your fear of failing as a leader either. What you want to run away from is your relationship with your mother. Why?"

Pouting thoughtfully, Mon-el scratched the stubble on his chin, "You wouldn't understand."

Taking complete offense, Kara flinched. Forehead puckered, Kara stared at him slack-mouthed, "How can you just assume that?"

"I am not questioning your willingness to understand," stroking the back of his fingers over her cheeks, he tried to explain, "But it's one of those things that someone with a happy childhood and a healthy relationship with their parents simply cannot fathom. Any attempt at doing so is like explaining colors to a blind person."

"Try me," resting a palm over his heart, Kara looked up with puppy eyes, using his weakness for them against him.

How was he supposed to resist that look? He drew in a long breath and scrambled for words, "Okay, let's try to find some common ground. Have you ever felt terrified of someone, who was constantly disappointed by you and yet you craved their validation?"

"Yes!" Kara slapped his chest enthusiastically, when she remembered that this was a serious conversation, not a quiz. "Sorry…yes," she repeated in a softer tone, "The Kryptonian General. He's terrifying and he's always disappointed in me," Kara complained, before she reluctantly added, "But secretly…I do crave validation from him…sometimes." Pointing a threatening finger at him, Kara warned him, "Don't ever tell anyone about it."

Mon-el chucked at that adorable threat, before he added, "Imagine having him as your mother." Kara winced at the thought, "Remember that warm fuzzy feeling you felt as a child when your mother tucked you in at night, telling her you will always love her and knowing she will always be there for you and never hurt you?" Watching the sweet smile on Kara's face, he regretfully answered, "Replace that with what you feel during your meetings with the General."

"That sounds horrible, Mon-el," Kara's eyes widened with horror.

"When you have a relationship like that with a parent, you don't get the luxury of childhood. You grow up way before your years and then you're just imprisoned by your age as you pretend to have the normal happy childhood that everyone else around you gets to enjoy." Wrapping the sheet tightly around them, he pulled her closer. "There's this expectation from society to be a respectful and grateful child. So you wear that mask for everyone except for the ones who are in the same boat as you are, for me that someone has always been Stefan. But unlike me, he escaped his father once he was old enough to join the armed forces. My title on the other hand is a leash around my neck which I will never break free from, the fact that it's a golden leash and will one day be replaced with a crown, doesn't change what it makes me feel."

A daunting realization sent chills up Kara's spine, "The first thing you asked me was, have I ever felt terrified of someone," Kara whispered. "Why did you feel terrified?" She suddenly realized how much more frightening her relationship with the General would be if she was small and weak and their relationship wasn't policed by professional etiquette.

"Why do you think?" Mon-el cocked his head and rolled his shoulders in a half shrug.

"Does it still haunt you?" Kara gazed into his eyes sympathetically, searching for answers.

"No," he immediately assured her. "I don't have nightmares from my childhood. It was my baseline of normal. A childhood like yours is just as surprising to me like mine is to you, but in a nice and heartwarming kind of a way. I neither feel terrified of her now, nor do I seek validation from her anymore. Other than the genetics, family legacy and an exclusive cocktail of issues serving as an invisible chain to her ball, there's nothing much left between us."

"What about your father? He doesn't seem as terrifying as your mother," she was struggling to piece together his relationship with his parents.

"He isn't…" swiping a thumb over his lip, he hesitantly explained, "But he also lacks the conviction to speak up or go against my mother's wishes in any capacity. His empty words and his inaction, in a way, nagged at me a lot more than my mother's behavior because at least she is self aware about her lack of maternal instincts. He still believes he was a good father, even though he never protected me."

Tapping her lips with her index finger, Kara was lost in thought. "Your relationship with Stefan makes so much sense now…."

"How so?" Mon-el chuckled, curious to find out what was on her mind.

"Unlike your father, he would slice through an entire army to protect you and he's the only man on Daxam with the balls to challenge the Queen's decisions," raising a sly brow, Kara shared her observation with such pride.

"So what you're saying is…you think…Stefan is daddy as fuck?" Mon-el laughed out loud.

Slapping his chest, Kara unrelenting stared at him until he stopped laughing. "No, I was talking about your daddy issues."

"My daddy issues…?" a mischievous grin dangled at the corner of his mouth, "You're dating someone in his late thirties! Glass houses, kiddo."

Narrowing her eyes into grumpy slits, Kara poked a finger into his chest, "Don't turn this around on me. We're talking about you…."

"Oh I haven't even started with the pearls of wisdom my shrink cast upon you," he teased.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she tilted her head quizzically.

"Brave, fierce, strong willed, politically influential woman…great warrior…expressed her disappointment in not only my politics but also my diplomatic approach less than a day after your pod landed on Daxam. I wonder who I'm talking about, you or my mother." He chuckled with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"That vague description can very well fit Katherine too," Kara retorted.

Tapping his foot against the wooden step, he pouted, "Well I guess, I have a type when it comes to women. Now…my mommy issues…those I can acknowledge."

Kara's eyes instantly softened. Running a loving hand over his beard, "Hey, I would never hurt you."

"I know," he smiled endearingly, bumping her little button nose with his finger.

With hope in her eyes, Kara mused, "And maybe your mother is not so bad, maybe there is still hope for her."

He broke into a mirthless laugh, "Why? Because she was nice to you during the few diplomatic conversations you two had? She's a politician, Kara. You can't trust politicians so easily," he warned.

"You're a politician," she reminded him.

"Not yet and I despise being forced into politics," he corrected her. "And by the way, this is the exactly why it's impossible to explain a dysfunctional family dynamic to someone who comes from a healthy upbringing." He threw his hands up in frustration.

"Why?" Kara murmured, unsure of what it was.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he stated in defeat, "All it takes for an abusive parent is to show a faint sign of redemption, they have no intention of going through with, to get the benefit of doubt."

Digging her fingers in to knead his tense shoulders, Kara kissed him. "I didn't mean to invalidate your experience. Last night…when I was returning from the Oasis room…Rhea gave me an uncharacteristically sweet gift. I guess I just let my guard down with her because of that."

Mon-el's entire body stiffened at the reveal. "Kara whatever it was, be careful…be very careful! Sweet gestures are usually my mother's way luring people into her madhouse of ulterior motives. Every time she wants to manipulate me, her go-to tactic is to remind me of something loving I said or did as a child which lit up her narcissistic heart." He let out a bitter laugh, "I used to fall for that, until I realized all of those stories were meant to remind me of a time when I loved her."

Completely baffled by that confession, Kara inquired, "Why did you love her if she was so terrifying? Was there a time she was a good mother?"

"No…there was definitely never a time. I was a kid, she was my mother and that messed up relationship was the only form of I love I knew back then," Mon-el shrugged it off.

"I wish I could get a peek inside that head of yours," Kara raked her fingers through his hair.

Eyeing her suspiciously, he asked, "Why? What do you want to know?"

Rolling her eyes skyward, Kara held out her hand. "Relax! I have no interest in the shady stuff from your secret meetings. But visiting Sedenach, this beautiful utopia where everything coexists in perfect harmony, don't you wonder how life would be if we could have that kind of connection?" Kara asked, beaming with hope and curiosity.

"You mean, like the kind of psychic connection people of Sedenach share with each other and the planet?" he asked, fearing that level of transparency.

"I mean…maybe that's why Sedenach is a utopia…because no one can keep secret from one another," she mused.

"Says the girl who needs privacy for intimacy!" he mocked.

"Hey!" Kara protested.

"The idea of living like someone from Sedenach might seem romantic to you now, but the ability to keep your thoughts and feeling private and having the ability to choose what you wish to share is definitely a privilege in my book." He threw his hands in the air to emphasize his point.

"Why what are you scared of?" Kara wiggled her eyebrows to tease.

"I would love to get a look inside that bright and hopeful beautiful mind of yours, I can assure you that." Wrapped a curl around his finger, he toyed with a lock of her hair. "I don't think you would like what you find inside mine."

Kara was intrigued, and maybe a little concerned for Mon-el. "That's for me to decide…" with that declaration she snuggled up against him as the light rays of sunlight snuffed away and darkness descended upon the world.

Kissing her forehead, Mon-el embraced her protectively. "There might be a way for us that," he murmured against her forehead.

"Do what?" Kara shuffled to look up at him curiously.

Against his better judgment, he spilled the beans. "It's impossible for our species to form a psychic connection or connect with the planet at a deeper level, but…."

"But what?" Kara demanded, her anticipation completely consuming her.

"There might be a way for us to bond psychically." Watching Kara's eyes widen and jaw drop, he attempted to dial down her expectations, "A very temporary and limited form of connection. Don't get your hopes up."

Kara squealed with excitement, "Yes…yes…a thousand times yes. I am so ready for this!"

He jerked his head in the direction of the entrance of their cottage, before he picked her up and got back up on his feet to walk her inside bridal style. "Last chance to back off," he winked at her as they crossed the threshold.

"Never," Kara refused with such conviction.

"Get dressed then…I'm taking you to my favorite little corner of the galaxy…."


	22. Chapter 22

**A Trip from Heaven to Hell**

Surrounded by countless fireflies, Mon-el hurled stones into the moonlit river gushing violently with silver river mist clinging to the surface mystically. After quickly putting on the first set of clothes he could get his hands on, he patiently waited for Kara outside their cottage. Just as he drew his arm back to fling another rock into the river, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, a satisfied smile crept up on his lips, "I made a terrible mistake confessing that your beautiful blue eyes are my greatest weakness." Checking her out from bottom to top, as soon as he wasn't too distracted by the glimmering tiny royal blue dress, he noticed a familiar necklace with a heart shape deep blue stone resting just above her cleavage. Brows knitted in a frown, he constantly switched his gaze between the stone and her eyes, "Is that my great grandmother's necklace?"

Instantly beaming, Kara nodded vigorously in agreement, "Your mother gave it to me last night."

Running a finger over the diamond encrusted chain; he delicately grasped the pendent between his fingers. Mon-el inspected the unfamiliar jewel framed by the tiny diamonds, "I have never seen this stone before in my life."

"It's newly discovered," Kara announced enthusiastically, "Rhea named it Kryptonite."

Raising a sly brow, Mon-el was stunned by that revelation. "Let me get this straight…my mother gave you a family heirloom…and replaced the stolen gem by a stone she named after your planet?" Holding her hand, he led her to their destination. Strolling along with her, hand in hand, Mon-el was still unable to process the baffling information.

Unlike Mon-el's timid steps, Kara waltzed beside him with pep in her step. "She was very sweet and maternal, even put it around my neck."

Mon-el stared at her in shock, "That's outlandishly horrifying. I honestly can't even picture it," he shook his head as his gaze fell to his feet.

Snaking her arm through his, Kara bumped her shoulder against him, "Hey…why are you so anxious?"

Taking a brief disbelieving look at her, he looked away at the loudly gushing river they were strolling along. "I just don't know what to feel about this…"

"Feel happy!" Kara proclaimed.

He let out a harsh breath, "Either this is a part of a diabolical plan which wouldn't end well for either of us or it's something much worse!"

"Oh lighten up! Not everything is a diabolical master plan or a conspiracy… try being optimistic for once…for me," she batted her eyelashes at him.

Smiling endearingly at her, he escorted her to the flat rock made of sparkling colorful bismuth crystal. As soon as they both stepped over it, Mon-el looked in the direction of the mountain peak which was their intended destination to point the launch pad in the right direction. A crystal staircase began to emerge underneath their feet to raise them up to their destination.

"These crystal staircases never cease to amaze me no matter how many times I do this," Kara chucked as she looked down at the ground with wonder in her eyes. "By the way, what did you mean by something much worse?" she cocked her head quizzically.

Lips set into a thin line, Mon-el stated matter-of-factly, "Expensive family heirlooms are the first step in wooing a potential daughter-in-law for arranged marriage on Daxam."

"What?" Kara squealed as the air caught in her throat barely made its way out. "I thought it was just her way of approving our relationship." Coming to a sudden realization about Mon-el's reaction, Kara looked down from the crystal staircase, at the fireflies by the river. "Why is that such a bad? Weren't you raving on about serious commitment since day one?"

"Yes, but dating and marriage are two very different things," Mon-el clarified as the crystal staircase came to a standstill against a cliff, leading to a dark path through a thick forest. He stepped onto the cliff and extended a hand to a completely speechless and frozen Kara.

Slapping his wrist away, Kara furiously walked away into the woods without a word. The moss on the trees started glowing to illuminate her path as she walked through the forest. Completely baffled, Mon-el ran after her, "Kara, wait…what happened?"

Abruptly pivoting on her heel, Kara yelled, "What happened? I don't want to get married right now either but I didn't expect the idea of spending your life with me to evoke such doom and gloom in you." She stretched her arm out in frustration to point at the look on his face.

"You know what happened to my first wife, right? It started with a pretty necklace for her as well. Our marriage ended with her losing her head!" Closing the distance between them, Mon-el switched to a softer tone, "I spent the evening explaining how much I hate my title. I would never wish my chains onto you. You are free…free to leave me…free to leave Daxam…at any given moment. I want you to have that freedom. I wouldn't wish the fate of being shackled to my mother as her successor on my worst enemy. I just don't wish to marry again, at least not until I become King." Clutching both her hands, he hesitantly looked up to thankfully witness her expression soften.

"Oh…I-I'm sorry about that reaction," her face cringed with embarrassment in the most adorable way possible. "Let's never speak of this again, okay?"

As they walked together to the next budding staircase to their destination, Mon-el smirked as they got onboard. "What did you mean by, you don't want to get married _right now_?"

"What did I just say?" Kara smacked the back of her hand against his chest playfully, "Five seconds ago, we promised to never speak of it again!"

"You asked me not to, I didn't promise anything," Mon-el wiggled his eyebrows, desperately trying to conceal his laughter.

As the crystal staircase rose close to the mountain peak they were headed to, Kara warned him, "I will literally push you off this staircase if you don't stop talking about it!"

"Don't be like that, Kara," Mon-el pleaded sincerely as he held onto her. "If you do that, then who will father all our imaginary babies that you've probably named by now," he snickered.

Rolling her eyes, Kara crossed her arms, "I hate you…I hate you so much."

"We both know that's not true," he teased as the staircase finally pushed into the mountaintop where Mon-el intended to take her. It was absolutely breathtaking. The aurora slithered beautifully like colorful smoke against the backdrop of clear starry sky.

It was heavenly, standing over a vibrant bismuth mountaintop with as much color in the sky as beneath her feet. "This is paradise!" Kara declared, lost in a dreamy haze.

With a cocky wink and a confident smile, Mon-el marched ahead, "It gets better."

Swiftly catching up to him, Kara scanned her surroundings curiously to figure out where he's taking her. "I have never been to this part of the Bismuth Mountains. When I visited with my parents, we stayed at this lively town on the other end of the mountain range."

"Aah…yes…I've been there," Mon-el scratched his beard as he reminisced about the first time her visited the planet. "That is where I too stayed on my first visit. But ever since I discovered this place, it became my favorite corner of the galaxy." He trekked down the mountain top to the onset of forest cover.

Noticing the instant rush of the sound of a waterfall, Kara breathed in the pure and untainted smell of forest coverage at this altitude in the most deserted corner of the Bismuth Mountain. "The cottage we are staying at is your favorite corner of the galaxy?"

"No," Mon-el smirked, "Don't get me wrong, I love it! But my favorite corner of the galaxy is my quaint little secret spot I'm taking you to, I've never brought anyone up here." He flashed an excited boyish grin as the branches automatically retracted from his path. He cruised through the jungle as if he knew the unpaved way like the back of his hand. "An emissary from Sedenach told me about it, they never advertise it to travelers. Now it'll be _our_ little secret…."

"What?" Kara laughed but her lips soon shrunk back to silence as the last branch in the way of their destination parted and she could finally see what the fuss was all about. An enchanted waterfall bathed in the moonlight and the aurora fell over the bismuth rocks in multiple streams into a large pool which trickled down to several shallow pools. Bioluminescence glowed in deep blue over the surface of all the pools, spurting and crackling beautifully where the waterfall crashed into the surface of the water.

Walking into the clearing surrounded by thick forest coverage and a clear starry sky as roof, Mon-el pulled a shell shocked and limp Kara along with him. "What's your stance on late night swims?" he teased, raising a brow with a gleam of wonder in his eyes.

Looking around with her eyes wide open and pupils dilated, Kara failed the register that this was reality. After all the wondrous planets she had travelled to, everything she had seen, she still couldn't believe that so much beauty could be condensed into one tiny little corner of the universe. "I-I," she stuttered absentmindedly looking at the waterfall, "I'm not wearing anything underneath my dress, much less a swimming suit."

Eyeing her ludicrously, he pushed the back of his shoe with another to take it off, "There's not a person other than the two of us for miles." Stretching a questioning arm out, he quipped, "What are you afraid of?"

Wrapping her hands tightly around herself, Kara uncomfortably looked around, "The planet…it's alive…it sees everything!"

Smacking a hand to his forehead, Mon-el laughed out loud until he was bent over, "Kara, I'm pretty sure you're not its type," he managed to say between laughs. "Plus, skinny dipping works best to bond with the planet."

Rolling her eyes, Kara grumbled, "That's one perverted planet. I'm just saying." Suddenly a thorny vine slithered behind her and poked her back. "Ouch," she jumped up and ran away from it. With both her arms stretched out defensively, "I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" she apologized to the vine.

Inching closer behind her, Mon-el looked at the thorny vine over her shoulder, "She's just shy until you get to know her. Then all the rivers on this planet wouldn't be enough to quench that thirst, if you know what I mean," Mon-el winked at Kara.

Knocking an elbow into his abs, Kara looked at him in disbelief, "Oh cry me a river, Mon-el!" She threw her hands up and walked away. Flinging her dress off, she dumped it over a rock and kicked her shoes off.

"Did you just flip me off with my own metaphor?" he cocked his head impressed as he unbuckled his belt. As soon as she went for the clasp of her necklace, he shook his head, "No…Keep it on."

Arching a disbelieving brow, Kara asked, "I thought you didn't like it."

"I didn't like whatever diabolical reasons my mother had for gifting you that necklace, but you look beautiful wearing that…only that," a flirtatious smile dangled at the corner of his lips.

A bashful smile graced her lips as she looked away at the pool behind her, "I feel weird about jumping into that…."

Shoulders lifted in a half shrug, Mon-el asked, "Why?"

"I don't know Mon-el, maybe it's natural to be scared of swimming in a fairly large and deep lake, on an alien planet, covered with a bioluminescent microrganisms," she retorted.

With a reassuring wave of hand, he suggested, "Get inside one of the smaller shallow pools then." He jerked his head in the direction of the chain of shallow pools the water from the main lake was flowing into.

With slow and measured steps, Kara walked over to a pool with the best view of the waterfall. She looked over her shoulder to check up on Mon-el, who was getting undressed at an extremely slow pace for some weird reason. With an encouraging nod, he smiled at her, nudging her to start without him. Hesitantly she dipped her feet into the water and suddenly, every nerve ending in her body fired up in full swing. She was hyperaware of every root running in the ground, every drop of water falling from the waterfall, every branch soaring in the sky and every little glimmering florescent blue microorganism floating over the water.

Drawing a deep breath, the fragrance of woods surrounding her became as familiar as the scent of her own skin. Excitedly leaping in, she stood half submerged in the glowing water with her arms stretched out and her head rolled back. Eyelids dropping to sheath her from the world she could merely see with her eyes. There was no need to look at her surroundings when she could feel them so intimately, through every inch of the Bismuth Mountains. Omnipresent throughout the ranges, she had the remind herself that she was a mere flesh and blood mortal more than once, until she forced herself to pry her eyes open.

"Magical isn't it?" Mon-el stood at the edge of the pool, smiling at her in admiration.

With a bright toothy grin, she whispered, "That would be an understatement." Sitting down at the bottom of the pit, Kara was submerged up to her shoulder and enjoying her newfound existence with one foot in mortality and another in divinity. Shivering in the cold of the night, she spoke through chattering teeth, "I just wish it was warmer in here," she hugged herself tighter. She couldn't understand Mon-el's mischievous smile, when she noticed the water slowly simmering to a warmer temperature. Stretching her arms out, she happily enjoyed playing in the little hot water spring she had wished for herself.

"I see you discovered your greatest power inside that pool," he smirked, still standing at the edge of the pool.

"I know, it's awesome," she squealed, "I just wish there was a thick fog over it, like the kind clinging to the surface of the pool at your spa, so that I don't feel so naked." As soon as she said the words, a thick fog slowly hovered over the surface, gently masking the bioluminescence still shining bright underneath the fog. Kara beamed with joy, "This is perfect, except for one small thing…."

"What more can you possibly ask for," he chuckled.

"You," curling her finger seductively, she gestured him to come to come join her.

Huffing out a defeated breath, he couldn't keep up the charade of prolonging this anymore. "Are you sure you want to ruin this wonderful experience by adding my feelings in to the mix?" Truth was, now that psychically bonding with her was so close to reality, he felt nothing but fear. He understood that she wanted to know him fully. He wasn't sure if everything concealed underneath the façade of the charming and funny prince with countless romantic surprises up his sleeve would have the same appeal.

Emerging from the water, she corrected him, "You mean elevate this experience by bonding with my boyfriend at a deeper level?" She walked over to the edge of the pool to grab his hand.

As soon as her drenched hands made contact with him, every nerve in his body sparked up and he was once again acquainted with his connection to the Bismuth Mountains. Only difference, this time it was shining bright with optimism and hope which was so uniquely Kara. It was exhilarating for him to have it flow through his veins, to have a light so pure burn through him. Stepping into the hot water spring, he silently followed her lead until they were standing face to face in the center of the fog covered bioluminescent hot water spring.

As she pulled Mon-el into the water, darkness, fear and uncertainty seeped through the waters. Kara could feel the rhythm of his heartbeat, his nervousness and most of all, the shields that he had put up. She could still feel the sweet goofball of a man that she loved but underneath all those layers she knew and loved, there was something dark and painful which she was only acquainted with until this moment. Resting her hand over his heart, she gazed into her eyes, "So what powers do I have over you?"

"Oh, mystical waterfall or not, you have complete power over me," with a cocky wink and a wicked smile he wrapped his arms around her.

Both palms pressed against his chest, Kara pushed him away. "Don't try to distract me with your smooth flirty moves," she pouted.

"Let me show you," he held her hand and splashed back into the water until he was floating. "Come, float with me," he stirred her hand, clasped in his, over the surface of the water. He closed his eyes to enjoy the delightful pleasure that was experiencing life through the eyes of his beloved and this wonderful world.

"How will I hear what you tell me if I'm floating and my ears are flooded with water?" Kara complained.

"I didn't need my ears to hear you right now," he yanked her into the water and after a little struggle; she found her balance and floated hand in hand with him. After finding their way through the haze of so many exciting sensations overwhelming them at once, they opened their eyes to blankly stare at the starry sky glazed with aurora.

Kara heard Mon-el's voice clear as day at the back of her head, "Once you figure out how to navigate your way through the omnipresence. Try to clear your mind and focus on something external, like the stars in the sky. It'll help you empty your mind."

"Did I just imagine that?" Kara thought.

"No…Welcome to my inner monologue…you heard it because I thought of it," Mon-el clarified without so much as moving his lips and Kara double checked, he was lying still and staring at the sky.

"Wow! So can I leaf through your mind and access whatever I want?" Kara had a wicked smile on her face as she tried to spot constellations in the sky to diminish her connection to Sedenach.

Mon-el smirked as he thought, "Yeah, sure. Good luck with that overambitious exploratory mission on your very first attempt." He smiled as he poked around her mind a little, "I see you loved watching the stars in the night sky from your large bedroom window as a kid. Aww…Kara…you were such an adorable kid."

"What? How did you know that?" Kara thought, a little alarmed by the sudden intrusion.

He assured her, "Relax… Like I told you, it's impossible for us to bond at a deeper level like the indigenous people of Sedenach. The connection we share to the planet is limited to our bleak powers of perception and we can only access surface level thoughts and feelings." Clutching on to their intertwined fingers firmer, he explained, "I could see your childhood memory because it was the first thing you thought of as you tried to that spot constellations in the sky."

"How do I do that with you?" Kara wondered, as she took deep breaths to gain some focus.

"Close your eyes…focus on our joined hands…if it's a memory at the top of my head at the moment…and it is exactly what you are searching for…only then will you will be able to see it clearly." He squeezed their joined hands to encourage her.

Taking one last look at the beautiful sky above, she exhaled with a newfound conviction and shut her eyes. Slowly letting go of every last strand of connection she shared with her surroundings, she focused solely on their joined hands. Brushing her thumb against his, she could feel the electricity build between them. A charge which slowly flowed through her entire body and just like that she became one with him, suddenly able to see the world through his eyes.

Uncharacteristic cynicism washed over her. She felt someone's hand run over her stubble. Wait, why did she have facial hair? Gaze falling down to a tight red shirt over a muscular manly body she was now inhabiting, she looked around completely baffled to realize she was standing in the East Wing hallway of the Daxamite palace. The smooth hand touched her face again and she looked at the woman standing in front of her. "Katherine," she whispered. Her small angelic face framed by long brunette curls suddenly came into focus. Her olive skin was glowing in the pristine white royal gown she wore and the Jade Jaguar hung by a delicate chain around her neck. Doe eyes hardened with conviction and softened with love, in a beautiful hazelnut dichotomy.

"Are you listening to me my love?" Katherine asked. "We need to strike now when the iron is hot," holding his face with both hands, she reasoned.

Against her will, Kara heard a manly voice escape her throat, "It is dangerous! Mother has spies everywhere and how can you trust every person involved in the staging of this coup?"

Running a gentle hand through his hair, she assured, "Which is why we need to act fast during this small window of opportunity. After that elitist and isolationist royal decree, her political position is weakened. There is a public outcry to overthrow her…."

"The Daxamite Throne has been issuing unfair royal decrees for centuries. The public outcry lasts a few days and soon enough people forget what they were angry about and focus switches to whichever new event is the talk of the town or the throne gives them something new to be upset about," he tucked a loose curl behind her ear. Switching to a more desperate tone, he pleaded, "They have known nothing but an unfair government. There might be a bigger than usual outcry at the moment but if you assassinate their monarch, they will forget whatever they were angry about and come at you with pitchforks."

Walking hand in hand with him through the East Wing, she tried to reason with him, "What would you have me do? Stand idly by and wait for her to die a natural death. That would take decades and if things keep going the way they are going, we'll ascend the throne as the King and Queen of Hell. It'll be too late to fix a system that broken."

"I doubt it'll be any more broken than it is now," he gripped her hand tighter as the followed her though the hallway. "It's not too late to pull back. You've set nothing technically illegal in motion. No one can produce anything but conspiracies and heresy against you. If you don't want to listen to me, then at least listen to Stefan. He too feels that the Commander is too weak an ally and his strategy is too flawed for executing this coup. What does your secret society have to say about this plan?"

"Nothing you need to worry about, My Prince. You just prepare for our ascension to the throne tonight, I'm sure you'll be able to find a narrative that sits well with the public." Letting go of his hand, she exited the East Wing to join the armed guards waiting for her. Katherine turned around one last time to get a good look at him, "Don't worry about the law. This is less of a monarchy and more of a dictatorship at the moment," she stretched her arms out to make a point. "I will pardon myself for treason and regicide once I'm Queen."

"Katherine…don't…please!" he begged. Consumed by the horrible realization that by the end of the day he would either end up an orphan or a widower, he simply didn't know if he was prepared for either. He knew that neither would bring any real reform to Daxam. Even if they ascended to the throne, there wasn't a solid political plan in place to change things. If the mutiny was successful, the Queen's death would lead to the kind of chaos and anarchy they had no plan to contain. But if it was a failure, Katherine was definitely marching to her death. Kara could feel the terror wash over him as he realized that which outcome had the higher probability, it was a hasty move on Katherine's behalf. As she watched his wife walk away through his eyes, she knew how well he understood that she might never return to the East Wing ever again. He lacked the courage, to either find the resolve to stop her or to follow her into an unwinnable battle.

 _As Katherine walked away, his world quite literally crumbled. Kara felt her surroundings suddenly fading away. Still witnessing the world through Mon-el's eyes, she suddenly felt uncharacteristically young and carefree. What she thought was a mask during his goofy moments was very much his reality in the memory she was accessing at the moment. Running a hand over his face, she realized he was smoothly clean shaved. She looked down to note he wore ceremonial black royal attire. The three hooded bronze statues towered over him as he stood with his back facing the throne, waiting in anticipation for someone to walk through the doors of the throne room._

Somehow the cynicism and spine chilling fear she felt coursing through his veins not long ago returned, only tenfold this time. Confused she looked down to find him wearing the tight red shirt he wore in the previous memory at the East Wing. Only this time, he was standing next to the throne, anxiously waiting for someone to walk through the throne room entrance.

 _Body jumping back into his young and carefree self, she struggled to understand what was happening to her. Music filled the throne room as Katherine walked in wearing a burgundy ball gown, black gloves that covered her forearms and brunette curls expertly set and perched on one shoulder. The Jade Jaguar hanging by a delicate chain was the only piece of jewelry the royal bride flaunted. Kara could feel a warm and loving smile on Mon-el's lips as Katherine walked to the altar, escorted by Stefan, the two people he loved the most in the world. Kara could feel Mon-el's heart racing and overflowing with joy._

The ecstasy she felt turned to the terrorizing misery as he stood at the very spot, years later, and watched Rhea walk into the throne room, followed by Katherine in chains who was surrounded by the Queen's guards as if she was a dangerous beast.

 _The festive music stopped. Kara felt Mon-el look back over his shoulder to watch the King and Queen stand up from her throne. Rhea stretched her arms out to address her subjects, "We come here today, under the eyes of the gods, to seal a bond of marriage." The bride climbed the steps to the throne and took her place beside her betrothed, the Prince of Daxam. Stefan smirked as he walked over to take his place as the Best-man behind Mon-el. "Please join hands," Rhea instructed the bride and the groom._

With a heavy heart Mon-el watched one of the guards shove Katherine forward until she was on her knees in the center of the throne room. He wanted nothing more in the world than to get a good look at her but her gaze fell in shame and defeat to her cuffed wrists. Rhea towered over Katherine, circling her like predator stalks its prey. "We gather today for the trail of this traitor who conspired against the crown and betrayed family to fulfill her power hungry goals much before her time. Treason such as this hasn't been committed in a thousand years and needs to be made an example of, so that no successor dares to dream of ascending the throne by the means of regicide." Mon-el stood frozen in denial, unable to process the gravity of his mother's request and its implications on Katherine's life.

 _King Lar Gand concluded the wedding ceremony, "Though there are many stars in our celestial kingdom, only one will lead you down the correct path. Each of you has found your star. And so, by the power vested in me as regent of the Daxamite Empire, it is my duty and my honor to proclaim you latched till the last breath you draw. " With a giddy smile Mon-el let out a deep breath the moment he lay his eyes upon the beautiful woman who was now his wife. When Kara saw Katherine through his eyes, she didn't feel the jealousy she felt when she saw a photograph of this very moment. She felt nothing but happiness for this dreamy and naïve unscarred man hopelessly in love, completely unaware of the heartbreaking path his life was set on in this very moment._

Going for a last desperate and futile resort, Mon-el kneeled in front of his father who was upholding his place as regent on the throne. He pleaded his father for mercy, "Father you're the Regent, you hold the power to put an end to this madness. Please…Father…show mercy. It has to be a unanimous decision between you and mother."

"Katherine conspired to overthrow us, she wanted to murder us, son. Such a crime cannot go unpunished," the King stated in a cold and detached tone. Kara could feel his heart sink in that very moment.

Mon-el bargained, "Imprison her then, for life."

Rhea laughed bitterly, "The ancient law is clear on regicide." Snapping her fingers at her guards, Rhea announced, "Bring out the royal sword." The Queen's lips curled up in icy contempt as she saw the fear in Katherine's eyes for the first time. Squeezing Katherine's face roughly between her fingers, Rhea taunted, "It hasn't been swung in centuries, but crimes so barbaric demand barbaric weaponry for dolling out justice."

Spitting in her face, Katherine insulted the Queen as she stuck to her sass until the end, "Justice? You paralyzed my hands and legs the moment I evoked Dakkam Ur, like the coward you are, because we both know you are no match for me in trial by combat. You are only strong while hiding behind your guards. So kill me already, I can't listen to you whine about it all day." Looking at Mon-el for the first time all day, she confessed, "Don't beg him, he's too weak to go against her wishes. You have to be strong. Don't let my death be your weakness, make it your strength and keep my legacy alive," she nodded hoping he understands her cryptic message. Kara could feel his heart sink as he watched a guard present the sword to the Queen. Staggering back on his feet, he clenched his fists as he trembled with rage while descending the stairs. His mind relentlessly battled between denial and the reality that was unfolding in front of his eyes. When he made his way down, Stefan inched closer to him and gripped his shoulder in support.

 _Closing his eyes shut, his mind went back to their wedding day. He promised to love and protect her forever and be the best partner for life right before he kissed her. Reminiscing over the kiss, he could still feel her lips on his. The spark was still young and mesmerizing on his lips and Kara wanted to stay in this warm memory because she was afraid to see what was to come. As he pulled away from the kiss, Kara saw her own face instead of Katherine's. It was her who was standing at the altar with him, wearing the red dress, only difference being instead of the Jade Jaguar, the blue kryptonite necklace hung around her neck. It was uncanny to look at herself through his eyes, in bridal wear, with a uniquely warm love for her coursing through him. She knew it was not her known thoughts being projected onto his memories because the way she was looking at herself through his eyes, she was sure she had seen that look before._

"Your legacy will die with you," were Rhea's last words to Katherine. Mon-el opened his eyes to witness Rhea swing her sword over a proud Katherine who had made her peace with her fate. Time came to a standstill and it felt like ages passed since the sword was first swung. It all felt like a terrible nightmare that he would eventually wake up from, a nightmare he had no intention of seeing through. Almost instantly, time began to pass at a cruelly normal pace and the sword sliced through her neck in one clean swing. The head came rolling to his feet, brunette curls bouncing on their way. Her eyes still blinked and lips moved in prayer, it was a devastating sight to witness the one he loved hung so brutally between life and death. Her white dress was completely drenched with blood which was still spurting from her headless corpse. When his gaze fell back on the head, it happened again, Kara was shell shocked to see blonde curls instead and eyes as blue as comets.

He bent down and picked up Katherine's bloodstained Jade Jaguar necklace, which almost instantly transformed into Kara's blue kryptonite one. A realization of his cowardice and failure washed over him as he stood defeated and broken, consumed by rage and melancholy in equal measure.

Kara screamed, hopelessly trying to escape his mind when there was nothing but darkness that surrounded her. She was back in her own skin and her blue kryptonite glowed and in the darkness she saw glowing blue eyes approach her. Kara's chest rose and fell with rapid breaths in the deafening silence and the blinding darkness as the eyes shot blue laser beams which left her frozen.


	23. Chapter 23

**Garden of Eden**

Gasping for air, Kara emerged from her nightmare, splashing and slapping the water in her wake. Mon-el, who was still in a state of trance, was completely engulfed by the foggy bioluminescent hot water spring. Unable to find her footing due to a shocking awakening from sleep paralysis, Kara panicked as she watched Mon-el unconscious and drowning. Thick roots and vines emerged from the ground surrounding the pool to pluck out the struggling and disheveled pair from drowning in the shallow pond. The vines restrained them from moving until the two of them were calmer and better aware of their reality and when it was safe, the vines loosened up and gently planted their feet at the bottom of the pool.

Kara rushed to hold Mon-el in her arms. Her eyes were shrouded with horror as leapt to him, desperate to seek refuge. He could feel her terrified form trembling against him and her thumping heartbeat against his chest. Consumed by guilt, he ran a hand over her soaking wet tresses and drew circles on her back to comfort her. He might not know what evoked this reaction but he knew it was definitely his fault. His mind was no place for someone so pure of heart. "It's okay, Kara. Whatever you saw, it wasn't real. You're fine…we're here…this is real."

Their psychic bond was still strong enough for Kara to sense the regret oozing from him. "I saw it, the day Katherine died and the day of your wedding. In the end…" between shaky breaths, she stuttered, "I-I saw my face when you pull back from the kiss on your wedding day and when you look down at the severed head after the beheading," she confessed. Sensing him freeze up, she clutched to him tighter.

"This was a bad idea, we should have never done this," Mon-el declared as he turned away, still holding her lightly by the waist, to walk out of the hot water spring. The Bismuth rocks emerged from the edge of the pool and stood tall like a wall in his path to stop him from exiting the pool. "Seriously?" he grumbled at the wall in his path, before he turned back to look at Kara. The wall retracted back into the ground, as Mon-el folded his legs and sat down at the bottom of the pool and pulled Kara into his lap. Holding her face with both his hands, he gazed up at her, "I'm sorry you had to see that. I guess the necklace must have triggered that vision. I wish there was a happier memory that my mind would have offered you, I really do."

"N-No…I'm glad I witnessed that," noticing Mon-el's face pucker with baffling distress, she quickly corrected, "I mean…it was horrible…and so traumatizing." Raising her hand up to reel over just how traumatizing it was, she continued, "But I understand what you went through and why it changed you as a person." Lips stretched in a sympathetic line, Kara pressed a tender palm over his bearded cheek.

"I'm sorry that you had to go through that while I was having the time of my life, vicariously living through the day your mother taught you the names of all the constellations visible from your bedroom window," Mon-el apologized, guilt still eating him up.

That revelation only made her feel sorry for him. Out of everything in her life he could have sought, he was drawn to one of her most heartwarming and loving memories of her mother. "That's where your mind went?" she murmured as her eyes softened.

"We are still empathetically connected, I can feel the overwhelming amount of pity you are feeling right now," Mon-el complained. Running his palms over her still quivering arms, he asked "How are you holding up?"

Shrugging it off, Kara reassured him, "I'm fine, I just wish there was a way for me to calm my nerves." She drew in a long breath to calm herself down. The branch of a nearby tree stooped down to her level to offer her a glowing and juicy golden fruit. Brows bumped together in a scowl, her gaze suspiciously darted between the fruit and Mon-el, "What is this?"

Mon-el plucked one of the fruits from the branch and flung it into his mouth, "It's called caramelo. It has a calming and euphoric effect."

"Like a mind altering substance?" Kara judgmentally tilted her head.

Mon-el stretched his arms out to point out their surroundings, "We are knee deep in mind altering substance already. At least this will have a better effect on your emotional wellbeing than psychically bonding with me."

"Will you stop feeling guilty about that? It's not your fault you went through something so devastating." Plucking the fruit from the branch absentmindedly, Kara rolled her shoulders in a half shrug, "And you said it yourself, this connection is a two way street."

Devouring the sweet juicy caramel fruit, a serene wave of calmness washed over her, drowning her in bliss, weightless and free from the harsh realities of their world. Kara shut her eyes and completely lost her footing from her own flesh and blood. She was the river gushing through the meadow, the flickering fireflies hovering by the banks, the glowing moss that lit up the woods in the darkness and most of all; she was one with the golden caramelo fruit hanging by the branches around them. In the midst of serenity, ecstasy and joy began to slowly bubble up in the pit of her stomach until it exploded and her eyelids cracked, eyes sparkling with exhilaration and mischief.

Mon-el was already out of the pool, lazily leaning against the tree beside the pond with his arms crossed beneath his chest. Pouting, Kara whined, "How did you get there?"

"You were checked out for quite a while. I just wanted to make sure that you don't accidentally get sucked into my mind again," he confessed sincerely, lips pressed in a thin line.

Huffing out a frustrated breath, Kara stood up and emerged from the foggy pool, stark naked, wearing nothing but the blue kryptonite necklace. Collecting a handful of water, she sensually strolled towards him, "I am not afraid anymore."

"Caramelo's effects don't last very long," Mon-el stated matter-of-factly, before he noticed the tiny puddle of water she was carrying in her hands. Flinching back bug-eyed, he asked, "What is that? What are you doing? N-No Kara…no…don't you dare." Despite his empty threats she splashed the water over him and ticked him underneath his ribs.

"You can't just break our connection after one roadblock," she left a chaste kiss on his lips as he snickered.

Mustering up his most grave expression to warn her to stop tickling him, he raised both of his hands to put some distance between them. "That would be a massive understatement. Don't touch me, it'll reestablish the bond. You are still wet and so am I. Thanks for that, by the way."

Raising a sly brow, she teased, "Clearly I'm not wet in a way I would prefer." This time when she ran her palm over his torso, it was not to tickle but to tease. It burned hot against his skin, her burning desire radiated to his core. It was exhilarating to discover the intensity first hand. He even saw a tiny flash of a fantasy in which he was kneeling in front of her as she was backed against the tree, screaming in the throes of passion as he pleasured her with his mouth. Smirking, he tucked a loose curl behind her ear, "Caramelo, the fruit we just ate, sometimes serves as an aphrodisiac as well. It's known to heighten desires, explains what you are feeling right now."

Raking an index finger over his chest, her eyes grew darker, "The real question is why you aren't feeling it too? The only thing I sense is hesitation and concern. I'm fine, Mon-el, I can't stress this enough, I'm made of stronger stuff than you would imagine."

Throwing his hands up in the air, he pleaded with the forces of nature, "A little help?" Soon enough, a thick branch lowered between the two of them, pushing Kara away from Mon-el.

"Two can play this game," with a wicked smile, she turned around and sat on the branch. Completely baffled, Mon-el inched closer to Kara as she perched on the branch with her back to him. Raising one of her hands, which was firmly planted on the wood, Kara rose up with the branch.

Mon-el tilted his head up gradually until she was above his head level. "What…what are you up to?" Eyes squinted with suspicion, he inquired. When he least expected it, Kara arched back and dropped her head until she hung upside down by her knees from the branch, secured in place by emerging vines that wrapped around her shins. The branch adjusted to the perfect height for their naughty bits to be perfectly aligned to the other's face. Before he could react, vines emerged from the ground to secure his feet in place. "What the…?" As he stretched his hands out in question, thick vines grew up from the branch. Snaking around his wrists, they bulled his hands over her hips and bound together to bind him in place.

Gripping his penis, she looked up and smiled, "We both know you can free yourself the moment you really want to." She pressed her lips together to conceal laughter before she swallowed his cock whole. As his length grew in her mouth, she could sense the curtains of hesitation slowly slipping away to reveal something dark and famished as her tongue left electrifying sparks in its wake.

Wrists tightly bound by vines, he dug his fingers into the tender flesh of her buttocks and dived in to get a taste of her. A wave of goose bumps ran over her body as his warm tongue touched her core; previously cool from the breeze over her still wet body. He smiled against her crotch as he felt her reaction to his touch. Hungry for more, she had no patience for teasing. So how did he choose to respond…by letting the tip of his tongue explore her folds at a torturous pace, everywhere except the bundle of nerves which was swelling up in anticipation.

Catching onto his intention to tease, Kara too pulled all the way back until her pursed lips were barely touching the tip of his penis. Looking up at him defiantly, her tongue barely dipped into the opening and retracted back into her mouth. He wasn't the only one who had the power to tease in this position. As soon as she felt him kiss her where she needed him, she swirled her tongue around the top of his penis to encourage him to bring his A-game if he expected any stimulation from her whatsoever.

Seizing her clit between his lips, his tongue sinfully toyed with it. He gave her just enough and yet held back just enough to keep her on edge. Thanks to their psychic connection he could feel every bit of it. Slowly as the water dried from their skin, their connection began to diminish. Clutching her hips tighter, he devoured her in an attempt to hold tighter to the warmth that radiated through him through their connection. He couldn't allow that feeling to slip through his fingers, it was as melancholic as watching a fire die out during a snow storm. As her passion ignited, he felt the dying embers igniting within him as well. In order to chase the high, he pulled every trick up his sleeve as his tongue dexterously danced over her folds.

Her thighs trembled and her mind grew hazy as Mon-el performed nothing short of black magic between her legs with his tongue, practically exorcising the kind of lust she had never felt. She couldn't care less about teasing or technique. Consumed by generosity, she took him in deep. Pressing her tongue tightly to his length, she moved relentlessly. She felt the agonizing throb of a climax building up in her core, until she went limp and froze in time. Mouth agape, she was incapable of tending to his desires, as moans failed to escape her throat. Hanging in there at his mercy, she desperately waited for the tsunami wave to finally crash.

Mon-el couldn't care less about the lack of physical stimulation, experiencing the things she was making her feel was completely exhilarating. As their connection diminished further and her mind began to go blank, an idea hit him. The vines tied around his wrist, loosened up and completely retracted back into the branch. With his hands free to move, he plucked another glowing golden caramelo fruit from another branch that lowered down within his reach. Crushing the juicy fruit in his fist, he let its nectar drip over her vagina. Trickling down to her clit, the sweet juice blend harmoniously with Kara's gloriously soaking wet core. Even though their mental connection completely faded away, his physical connection to her reached new heights as her own peak heightened, if that was even possible.

Surprised by the sudden surge of a familiar high, she felt a cold liquid seep through her vagina. It was soon followed by two warm fingers. The sensation slowly growing within her was so similar to the heightened awareness and burning desires she felt after eating the caramelo fruit but now that her connection from the planet was severed and her mind was an island, his tongue and fingers sparked an electrifying feeling in her core.

Hooking his arm over her hips, Mon-el curled the fingers he shoved in to massage the aphrodisiac properly inside her channel and set her G-spot ablaze like never before. Sensing the fierce muscle contraction around his fingers, he maintained steady pressure over her clit and didn't change the pace of his fingers inside her a bit. He had worked her up too much, it was time to let her have her release.

Pulling her mouth off his penis, she rolled her head back. Hanging upside down, gasping for air and unable to let out a scream, she was dangling between stretching the limits of these newfound peaks of passion and pining for a release. The entirety of the electrifying sparks coursing through her body shrunk into a tiny orb of stormy anguish as her entire body froze up. Finally letting out a scream, her mind exploded to stardust and she blacked out into oblivion.

Letting out a blissful breath, Kara opened her eyes to be greeted by a cocky smirk dangling at the corner of Mon-el's lips. "Welcome back," his smile grew wider with pride. Looking around in disarray, she found herself sprawled across on the patch of grass between the tree and the pool. Mon-el lounged on his side. Elbow dug into the grass, he propped his head on his palm.

"That was…" letting out a dreamy sigh, she pulled him closer, "amazing…."

Firmly resting his palms on the grass beside her, he climbed on top of her. "I know I felt most of it," he leaned in to kiss her. "You, however, abandoned what you started with such foxy conviction," nodding in the direction of still erect penis, he chuckled.

Sensually parting her legs wider, she cradled his pelvis between her thighs. "I'm sure we can still take care of this hardship of yours," she bit her lip and ground her pelvis against his.

Touching foreheads, he leaned into her, "I really wish my mind was one with yours till the end. I always wanted to know what a female orgasm feels like."

Jerking her head in the direction of the pool, she suggested, "You can still found out."

"There's just one tiny problem," his chest rose and fell against her breasts, "I forgot to bring condoms." His lips stretched in an apologetic line as he looked into her eyes.

Lips pursed into an adorable pout, she pointed her finger in the direction of his discarded clothes, "Check all your pockets. I'm sure there must be an emergency condom tucked away somewhere, as usual."

Resting his forearms on the grass, he inched closer to her. "I already did…" toying with locks of hair splayed on the grass, he clarified, "When you blacked out, I went to check after pulling you down from the branch."

"You could just try skinny dipping," rolling her shoulders in a half shrug, she pumped her hips up to tease is aching erection.

"It's the aphrodisiac fruit talking, you don't really mean that," he pulled back slightly to get a good look at her.

Switching to a much more serious and stern tone, Kara explained, "Once we started reproducing through the birthing matrix, our genetic code was modified to make the eggs impenetrable as a precaution against accidental fertilization in the womb. It required a fair amount of medication and radiation therapy for my aunt to get pregnant. I know you love using condoms but they aren't that necessary in our case," she bumped his nose with her index finger endearingly.

Tilting his head in careful consideration, his lips pursed like he'd been chewing a lemon rind, "But it's so barbaric and animalistic to do it without a condom, Kara."

Laughing at the irony of that statement, she looked around, "We are stark naked…out in the wild…having sex under the stars."

Capturing her lips in a deep and demanding kiss, he spoke between breathless kisses, "You do have a point." Burying a hand in her hair, he grabbed her butt cheek with his other hand. Fingers digging in hungrily into her full and round hip, his self control lost the battle against his teased, turned on and swimming in aphrodisiacs lust. He needed her like never before.

As his lips abandoned hers to kiss her neck and his palm slid from her hip to clutch his penis and rub it over her folds to lubricate. "Not here," Kara moaned, "I want to feel everything you feel."

Stealing one last kiss, he willed himself to push up from the warmth of her embrace. Getting back on his feet, he turned around and jumped into their foggy glowing blue hot water spring. The muscles on his back rippled gloriously as he slicked his wet hair back with both his hands, biceps flexing in its wake. He swirled around to look back at her. Beckoning her with a suggestively inviting index finger, "You better get in here before I check out of my sexually frustrated body and drift off to become one with nature."

Getting back on her feet, with a practiced enticing stroll she approached the edge to the pool and perched over the flat bismuth rocks framing the round pool. Playfully steering her legs inside the warm water, she looked around, "This place really reminds me of your Oasis room."

Staggering through the water, he held onto her strong thighs for support as he drew closer. "The waterfall in the Oasis room was definitely modeled after this one. That indoor forest is a beautiful reminder of this hidden gem," he looked around with wonder.

"If only there were flowers on Sedenach," she mumbled absentmindedly as she slithered her palms over his wet torso.

"If only," he smirked. Mon-el watched as countless flowers spurted out of their surroundings, which Kara didn't even notice until their pond was surrounded by flowers, some vibrantly colorful and some glowing with bioluminescence. He watched a creeper with a white rose glided over to her.

"What the…?" Kara flinched, suddenly pulled from her admiration of his chiseled torso. With eyes wide as saucers, she looked around to witness the magical sight so many flowers blooming all around her. The bioluminescent ones were an absolute vision. She was so hypnotized by everything that was unfolding around her that she didn't even notice Mon-el pluck the white rose from the creeper and tuck it behind her ear.

"Again?" she beamed, shaking her head as she tried to fathom just how much of a romantic he had to be to corrupt and entire planet with his cheesiness.

"Always," he said as his hand snaked over her back and pulled her in to devour her lips.

Enjoying the afterglow of an extraordinary reveal, she kissed him back tenderly. With her legs lazily dangling in the water on either side of him, she felt the intensity of his need for her as he buried his hand in her hair to deepen the kiss. Overtaken by the same urgency, she immediately wrapped her legs around him.

Feeling her passions set ablaze, he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Grinding his pelvis into hers, he positioned and lubricated his length against her soaking wet folds. As soon as she gripped onto his back and dug her nails into his muscles, he thought of giving her a taste of her own medicine instead of acquiring new scratch marks.

Kissing her way from his shoulder to his neck, Kara was rudely interrupted by something wrapping around her wrists and yanking her away from him. Completely baffled, her gaze darted between her wrists, which were now plucked from his back. "Seriously?" she whined as she noticed the two thick vines pulling her back until her hands securely bound to the ground behind her back.

Firmly gripping onto her thighs, he pulled her lower body closer. "What did you say to me earlier?" Tilting his head to tease, he pouted, "Yes…I remember… You can free yourself the moment you really want to," she smirked as he jerked his head in the direction of the vines binding her.

Letting out a disgruntled breath, Kara tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "But I want to hold you. This is unfair," she protested.

"Even better," he said as he fondled with her now exposed breasts. Leaning in to kiss one of the petite lumps, he looked up at her mischievously, "If you think it's so unfair, then why don't you free yourself?"

Kara arched her back and closed her eyes as all of his nibbling, sucking and pinching of her nipples and the wet kisses he dropped over her breasts, collarbone and neck, got her core slick and ready for love. Sensing how badly she needed him, he pulled a fistful of her golden locks and grabbed the bottom of her thigh roughly to pull that leg closer. Moaning with pleasure, a new gush of lubrication surged to her pussy lips.

Plunging his entire length inside her in one swift motion, the only thought that took over his mind was the feeling of the wet and warm bumpy terrain squeezing and massaging his length. In this hypersensitive state all of his fears and worries about their psychic bond disappeared. If Kara got a peek inside his mind at this moment, the only thing she would discover what he felt blissfully being balls deep inside her.

Surprised by the sudden invasion, she squealed. Before she could adjust to the newfound feeling of being completely filled, he began to pump relentlessly. His unsheathed flesh met with a resistance so unfamiliar and ecstatic, she rolled her eyes skywards, closing them shut. His only thought she could pick up on, was pure unadulterated lust so singular she couldn't even fathom that kind of focus for sex. Her mind was wandering around at so many places in the Bismuth Mountains; she found it hard to stay grounded in her mortal body considering how blissfully he was hitting her G-spot.

Leaning back, she let herself fall back over the grass that grew thick and fluffy underneath her back. The vines that bound her wrists pulled back behind her to keep her wrists bound over her head. After such a tiring and passionate day, she was completely spent and properly fucked. Absolutely famished, her mind wandered off to add her favorite delicacies.

Thrusting into her harder, he chucked, "Seriously? You're thinking about food right now?"

Kara opened her eyes to witness the starry night sky and the perfectly visible galaxy, adorned by the colorful aurora. Biting her lower lip, she hesitantly shifted her to him. Eyebrows bumped together in embarrassment, she admitted, "Yes…."

Rubbing her clit with his thumb, he switched to a slower, more sensual and less urgent pace. "I'll whip something up for you when we get back to our cottage."

Kara wasn't sure if she was imagining it but she was positive that the vines that her wrists were bound by were slowly dragging her away from the pool. Her suspicion was confirmed when Mon-el climbed out of the pool and loomed over her, still moving inside her sensually and rubbing her clit with his thumb. Only their feet were casually submerged in the water, keeping their connection strong. As he planted the palm of his free hand on the grass next to her head for support and kissed her cheek lovingly, wildflowers surfaced around his hand and slowly spread around them like wildfire. Letting her head fall to one side, she breathed in the fragrance of fresh exotic flowers as he slowly but surely pushed her over the edge with his sensual strokes.

Raking his fingers through her hair, he whispered into her ear, "I'm too close. I can't hold back anymore." Massaging her clit dexterously and switching to much more passionate pace, he kissed her with every ounce of desire he had in him.

Feeling her own climax build up, Kara mumbled between kisses, "I'm close too, cum with me."

As soon as he sensed it through their connection and her fluttering channel, he pulled his hand out from between their joint pelvises. Holding onto her, he closed the distance between them. His kisses grew more hungry and demanding as he experienced the marvel of a female orgasm first hand through their bond as it hovered over them like a threatening storm. Swallowing her moans, he felt it hit her like a thunderstorm, waves crashing over them so hard that he drowned in the overwhelming feelings. He froze as every hypersensitive nerve ending in his body sparked up and all those embers converged into his core until he exploded inside her with the intensity to split the ocean, of her pleasure that he was previously drowning in, into two.

Still trembling, he moved inside her leisurely until he had nothing more left in his balls to give. As she wrapped her legs over his hips to steady herself, he dropped loving kisses on her lips and continued to massage her now sticky channel until he grew soft and shrunk inside her. The vines untangled around Kara's wrists and disappeared into the ground.

Mon-el collapsed on the soft patch of grass beside her, crushing wildflowers underneath his muscular back. Between short breaths, he declared, "Skinny dipping was fun."

Their laughs echoed as they absentmindedly stared at the beautiful night sky for what felt like an eternity. The two of them had never made love like this before in their time together. It was the kind of experience that changes people. There was a lifetime worth of understanding and empathy between them in that moment, a connection too deep for the short span of time they had known each other. They created something magical together. If this wasn't what falling in love felt like, neither of them knew what did.

Getting up on his feet, Mon-el offered her a hand to help her up. Jerking his head in the direction of the waterfall, he wiggled his eyebrows, "We've splashed around enough in the warm kiddie pool. Do you want to cool down with a nice swim in the lake or are you still afraid?"

"Afraid?" Kara let out a ludicrous laugh before she let go of their joined hands and ran over to the lake and dived in. Swirling around in the water with her arms stretched out, she called out to him, "Whose afraid now?"

Cocking his head unimpressed, he snorted, "Afraid? Please!" Taking the leap, he plunged into the water as well and swam past her to the shimmering waterfall.

"Hey…wait for me," Kara whined as she caught up to him and pulled him closer to kiss him.

Her blue kryptonite necklace began to glow between them when they were too distracted to notice. Little did she know that once their blissful time in paradise comes to an end, she would have an entire night ahead of her with nothing but the recurring dream of those glowing blue eyes in the dark.


	24. Chapter 24

**Mon-el's Bizzare Reason For Travelling To Sedenach**

Letting go of the comforter Kara was clutching so tightly, she let her hand fall back to Mon-el's side of the tiny little bed, finding it vacant and cold. Rubbing an eye lazily with her fist, she sat up and managed to pry her other eye open to take a good look at their cozy little room with large windows and a beautiful view of the river. He was nowhere to be found. She considered that he might be cooking breakfast for them. But before the thought of breakfast could fill her heart with joy and cloud her judgment, she noticed the lack of taste bud teasing aroma in the air.

Kara got out of bed and loosely draped a silk gown around her slouched form as she dragged her bare feet out of the room. She was tip toeing her way downstairs like a cat when she heard his voice, anxious and argumentative.

He was leaning against the open kitchen's countertop as he barked into his earpiece, "We already agreed upon the terms…It's a fair exchange...N-No…" Shaking his head in disagreement, he massaged his forehead with his hands before he stated matter-of-factly, "It has to be today…."

As he turned around to find a completely puzzled Kara standing at the foot of the staircase slack-mouthed, the color drained from his face. "I have to go now…Yes yes," he mumbled into his earpiece before he abruptly disconnected the call.

"I thought we decided to not bring any communication devices to Sedenach," Kara tilted her head, watching him like a hawk.

Plucking out his earpiece, he looked at it uncomfortably. "This…T-th-this old' thing," he stuttered, fiddling with his earpiece, "It's for emergencies." He looked like a five-year-old hoping to dodge a scolding.

"What was the emergency," Kara asked casually as she strolled over to him.

He ran a hand over the back of his neck as his gaze dropped to his feet, "Sensitive information, can't share it with…."

"A Kryptonian?" Kara smirked and perched her elbows on the countertop to prop her chin over her knuckles as she finished his sentence. She already missed being psychically connected to him, wishing there weren't any secrets or walls between them.

"Something like that," he smiled. Leaning in for a kiss, he whispered against his lips, "Good morning." Stumbling upon the perfect solution to his problem at hand, he switched the conversation in a direction which was guaranteed to distract her, "Do you want to go get breakfast?"

"Yes," Kara beamed, instantly coming to life and stepping out of her drowsiness. "Where are we going?" she asked, excited.

"There's this cute little café in a town not far from here. Go get ready," he slapped her bum playfully.

"I'm so hungry," Kara groaned as she left. Letting out a breath of relief, Mon-el thanked the gods he dodged that bullet.

The lovely little town was humbly nestled between a majestically high waterfall falling from a bare bismuth mountain sparking colorfully in the light of the blue sun and a large shimmering blue lake surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks in a distance. Their cottage was situated at the base of one of those far off mountain peaks. Their table by the lake was set with a beautiful assortment of all the treats and comforts Sedenach had to offer for breakfast. Kara was gobbling down comfort food as Mon-el absentmindedly sipped his coffee while staring into the distance, hardly nibbling on his food on his plate from time to time. Something was clearly weighing on him. A distracting beep interrupted the serene sound of the gushing waterfall.

Still chewing on her food, Kara tilted her head and eyed him judgmentally until she could speak. "Did you seriously bring that thing along? What can possibly be so urgent that we can't enjoy a weekend away without communication devices?"

With an apologetic smile plastered on his face, he pulled his earpiece from his pocket and ended the call. "I'm sorry. I forgot this was in my pocket." He absentmindedly dropped it on the table.

"It's fine, just no more calls until we get back home," Kara smiled. Sinking her fork into her favorite discovery yet on the table, she stretched her hand out to him, "Here, try this, you've hardly eaten." Delightfully watching him devour the decadent bite sized delicacy, "Its good, isn't it?"

Covering his mouth with his fist, he nodded, almost letting out a moan. He didn't know if it was the fact that she fed him or if the treat really was a party for his taste buds, but he registered flavor of the food he was consuming for the first time that morning. "What is that?"

Rolling her shoulders in a half shrug, Kara pouted, "I don't know, but this is basically edible art." She offered him another bite. Glad that he took a good serving for himself and finally got something in his system, she went back to concentrating on her own munching needs.

Mon-el kept on uncomfortably fidgeting and shifting in his place, until he pushed his plate away and stood up. "Umm… I know you wanted to go off the grid this weekend, but I really need to go make a call in private."

Unable to decipher the level of discomfort on his face, Kara reassured, "Sure, I didn't realize it was that urgent." He stormed off as soon as the worlds escaped her mouth. Scanning her surrounding completely baffled, she noticed that he left his earpiece behind.

Picking up the earpiece, she scurried after him. She spotted him exit the café and get on a crystal staircase which had elevated him half way to the top of the waterfall by the time she caught up with him. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she too hopped on the crystal staircase as well. Something was already weighing him down, she couldn't understand why he needed to be so far removed from civilization to make a simple call but she wanted to help.

Making her way to the top of the waterfall, she stumbled upon an unexpected rendezvous between Mon-el and an unknown blonde woman. Features hardened with stoic resolve, she was fully immersed in what seemed like an argument between the two. As soon as she looked over Mon-el's shoulders and noticed a completely baffled Kara standing in a distance behind him, she gawked at Kara with laser sharp focus. The woman scanned Kara from head to toe with a look so spine chilling that she shuddered when the woman's cold and detached ice blue eyes met Kara's baby blue. Kara was positive that she had never met this stranger but there was something about those big blue eyes that sparked a faint recollection. Kara's knee jerk reaction was to leave, she didn't feel like she belonged there but her curiosity was piqued. Most of all, she wanted to know why Mon-el would lie to her about a clandestine meeting during their weekend getaway.

Mon-el glanced over his shoulder to spot the source of distraction. Turning around, the color drained from his face and dread consumed him when he saw Kara. "What are you doing here?".

Tilting her head in disbelief, Kara folded her arms underneath her chest and demanded, "I could ask you the same thing." He looked like someone caught in a compromising position, desperately scrambling for an explanation. Tossing his earpiece at him, she grumbled, "I came here to give you this…you know…because you told me that you were leaving to make a phone call."

The stranger in their midst rolled her eyes as Mon-el caught his earpiece and took a step in Kara's direction, "This isn't what it looks like, we are colleagues…of sorts."

"Seriously?" Kara dated her gaze between the two of them, "What are you working on?"

Running a hand over the back of his head, Mon-el reluctantly spoke, "Classified military research."

"You can't just drop the word classified every time you don't want to talk about something," Kara threw her hands up in the air in frustration.

Walking over to Kara, Mon-el began to explain, "No seriously, she's is my colleague, Al-vira and she has been working with Stefan for a while on a secret military project…"

Cutting him off, Al-vira grabbed his arm and yanked him back with the kind of strength he never expected her to possess. "The Kryptonians aren't supposed to know that I'm still alive," she waved a condescending hand pointing at Kara's house of El glyph etched over the chest of her powder blue sundress.

"No…No…" He shook his head to reassure her, "She can be trusted."

Tone dripping with sarcasm, Al-vira stated, "Why because she's your girlfriend? As if Kryptonian spies never date Daxamite royalty in order to gain access to sensitive information."

Interrupting their argument, Kara edged closer to them, "Wait a minute, I recognize you now! You were among the causalities of the attack on Daxamite Embassy. I saw your picture at the memorial. The scientist…."

Eyes wide with horror, Al-vira let out a fuming breath. "Great! She knows who I am. For all the assurances you and Stefan made for my safety before the explosion, you bring a Kryptonian along to blow my cover after I escaped to Sedenach on my own."

Mon-el was at the end of his rope. This was supposed to be a simple exchange and it had ruined his entire morning already. "Might I remind you that it was us who setup a trans-matter portal between Krypton and Sedenach as a backup plan for you to escape in case of an emergency?" Stretching his arms out, he took a condescending look at their surroundings, "You seem pretty safe and a long way from Krypton."

"Yes, I got out," Al-vira yelled, "but only after…" Balling her fists until her knuckles went white; she stopped herself from completing that sentence. That was a secret she couldn't afford to disclose.

Uncomfortably eyeing both of them, Kara interrupted, "Why do you fear Krypton? The terrorist organization that bombed your embassy is our number one enemy as well."

Letting out a mirthless laugh, Al-vira took a good look at her in order to make sure if she was being sincere, "You really believe that, don't you?"

"Believe what?" Kara tilted her head quizzically.

"That terrorist group was only responsible for the first attack." Arching a sly brow, Al-vira lay down the facts, "No surprise that Krypton is great at turning tragedies into opportunities. Basic forensics would reveal how unique both the attacks were." Turning to Mon-el, "Tell her," she pointed at Kara.

Waving a dismissive hand to cut her off, his gaze dropped to his feet as he spoke, "It doesn't…it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't matter?" Al-Vira screeched, "All of my colleagues…my friends…your people…died! They all died screaming. I can still hear the explosion and their screams every time I close my eyes. And for what…?" Taking a step back, she judgmentally eyed Mon-el, "For this?" Holding out something in her hand, which seemed a lot like a grenade and yet unlike anything they had ever seen, she loomed over him like a storm.

Kara instinctively backed further away from the two of them, ready to take cover at any given moment. Struck by fear for her and Mon-el's safety, she stood there frozen for a moment as she noticed how uncharacteristically calm and unaffected Mon-el seemed for someone having a grenade waved at them.

Al-Vira's ice blue eyes pierced into his grey as she yelled, "It doesn't matter? I lost everything! Even my life," both Kara and Mon-el shared a baffled look until they came to the realization that she must be talking about her legal death and the cover up. "The lab accident during the explosion still continues to haunt me. I drift further away from the person I once was on a daily basis. I've changed in ways I never imagined and it for some reason I can't understand it keeps leeching away at my brilliance, my sanity and my wisdom," she massaged her forehead with her free hand in defeat.

Like any sane person, Mon-el assumed that she was talking about emotional trauma and failed to recognize what she really meant. Gently nodding at Kara, Mon-el assured her that there was nothing to worry. He needed her to understand had the situation under control. Squeezing Al-vira's shoulder, he tried to console her. "I understand that you've been through something very traumatic," under the guise of providing comfort, he gently brushed his palm all the way from her shoulder to her fists clamped around the grenade, "You don't have to carry this burden anymore." He smoothly plucked the grenade from her hands and walked over to Kara as Al-vira tried to snap out of her PTSD episode.

Holding her head in her hands, Al-vira chanted in a childlike manner, "It shouldn't have worked… it shouldn't have worked. All my prototypes were failures until I made this one on Senenach."

Placing the grenade in Kara's hand, he gazed into her curious eyes and whispered, "Take this and leave. If I don't make it back in an hour, return to Daxam and give this to Stefan. Tell him that this is the only available yellow sun grenade prototype. He'll understand what it means. Tell him I stayed back to get the rest of her research on the development of this prototype. We only have access to her research on her failed prototypes."

"Mon-el, no," Kara shook her head confused and stubborn like a child. She refused to leave without him for the sake of his extracurricular activities which she wasn't even aware of. "I will not leave without you," the pain and fear cracking through her tough and well guarded exterior.

"It's okay…its fine…I have it under control," he caressed her face between both his palms. "This," lowering his gaze to the grenade encased within her fist, "Getting this to Stefan is my priority right now. It is everything the Ancient Order has been working towards for centuries."

A bit of reasoning peeked through among the waves of emotional turmoil crashing over her, "Wait a second! What do you mean by yellow sun grenade?"

Pushing her hair back with both his hands, he kissed her, "There's no time for this, Kara. Please," he pleaded with desperation in his eyes, "please leave."

Al-vira grabbed Mon-el's shoulder and yanked him back with superhuman strength, "What do you think you are doing?"

"Al we can talk about this," he raised both his hands in defense, shielding Kara behind him.

"This," pointing a Kara, she grumbled, "This is how you repay me? After everything I gave up for your little project! You just handed it over to a Kryptonian, after they killed all of us to get their hands on it?"

"It's an entire planet full of countless unique people. They are not all the same. She doesn't deserve to be bunched together with whoever was responsible for the attack. They are all just people, Al, just like us," he tried to reason with her.

Clutching him by the collar, she raised him a few inches above the ground. Her eyes glowed like blue bulbs, igniting the veins around her eyes in the same hue. It was unlike anything Mon-el had seen in his life, "Just like us? All you politicians are the same. You love to call us your people when we are of use to you but you toss us aside the moment we serve our purpose in your little plans. One Kryptonian crawls into your bed, and it suddenly excused the sacrifice all of us made, when we died accomplishing your mission, at the hands of her people." Letting out a mirthless laugh, she tossed him away as if he was weightless, sending him crashing into a tree trunk. "Al-vira died in that attack, making your precious sun grenade for you. But the explosion caused a lab accident and somehow my failed formula took form in unexpected ways. Sure it's eating away at my intellect and my superpowers are the polar opposite of what we expected but I don't need the yellow sun or a yellow sun grenade to do this," she puckered her lips and breathed fire on the tree Mon-el was perched under. As he quickly crawled away in fear, blue lazers shot from her eyes and the tree was frozen, its fire extinguished. "You see, my powers are universal, whether the sun shines red, yellow and blue," she approached him as a predator hunts its prey. Looking up at the blue sun, she smirked, "And this one especially does things that none of us ever expected, at least for me. You see I'm different, I'm not what either of you can become momentarily with that," she pointed her finger at the grenade in Kara hand as Kara was shellshock at the moment. "From the ashes I rose like a phoenix, unharmed, unburnt, stronger and more powerful than ever." Levitating above the ground like a god, she declared, "Al-vira is dead. I…am…Bizzaro!"

"Hey!" Kara left her safe little corner at the edge of the cliff the river waterfall from and ran towards Mon-el, worried for his safety and completely enraged by Al-vira or Bizzaro or whatever she wanted to call herself. She recognized her and those glowing blue eyes. This was the woman Kara had visions of when she psychically bonded with the planet, maybe it was planet warning her. She was the one who terrorized her dreams all night. Most of all she was the one who dared to harm the man Kara loved.

As Kara stood up and charged at Bizzaro, leaving Mon-el's side. Bizzaro zapped blue lasers from her eyes which Kara managed to dodge, the ground behind her froze as the laser beam hit the grass. To Bizzaro's surprise, she saw Kara's necklace glow. She didn't know if it was the blue sun playing an optical illusion with the deep blue stone or if it was something else but as Kara closed the distance between them, she began to feel weak in her knees and her insides squirmed. Bizarro fell to the ground, she could no longer fly and just as she was about to unleash her fire breath on Kara, she noticed that nothing but smoke escaped her mouth and her throat began to close up. All the visible veins on Bizzaro's body glowed in the color of Kara's necklace. "I-I don't feel so good," Bizzaro fell to her knees as Kara stood tall above her threateningly. Bizzaro spoke slowly like a child and she tilted her head quizzically, "What are you? How are you doing this?" She looked up at Kara in wonder. Her mind and intelligence was slowly slipping away, ever since she changed after the lab accident but she was still consumed by a scientist's curiosity. It was just a lot more frustrating now that her mind lacked the critical reasoning skills that she had grown used to all her life.

Carefully placing the sun grenade on the grass besides them, Kara stood tall over Bizzaro, who was weakened and wincing with pain. "What am I? I'm that one who should be asking that question," Kara brandished her fists and jabbed them into Bizzaro's face repeatedly until she was on the ground.

Kara retreated, picked up the damn sun grenade and went to help Mon-el get back up on his feet, now that the threat was averted. "Come," she gestured him to follow her as she ran towards the edge of the waterfall, the part of the cliff where the staircase she arrived on was still steadily resting against the cliff, "Let's get the hell out of here."

"Yeah, let's get out before she wakes up," Mon-el dashed after Kara.

Just as Kara reached the staircase, Bizzaro flew in and scooped Mon-el up, escaping with his struggling form dangling in the air before Kara could even realize that he was gone.

"Mon-el," Kara let out a horrified scream as she chased after them on foot, until she realized what a futile attempt it was and her legs gave up. She lost her balance along with her hope and fell to the ground, knees skating over the grass and face buried in her hands as she cried hopelessly. She had lost Mon-el to a dangerous entity with godlike powers that she had never witnessed in her life, that too on an alien planet where she didn't know a soul. She was all alone, baffled and defeated, with no means to fight back. All she had was a useless yellow sun grenade prototype which she knew she had to deliver to Stefan. Never in her life, had she felt so powerless and broken. All she needed was a ray of hope that things would get better and Mon-el would come back to her.


	25. Chapter 25

**It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Supergirl**

Kara snapped out of her heartbreaking daze as she felt a gentle hand caress her back. Escaping the sad little cocoon of her palms cradling her tear stained face, she looked up. Stefan was clad in Daxamite armor and kneeling next to her. His features were uncharacteristically soft with concern. They were surrounded by a small team of soldiers who accompanied Stefan to Sedenach.

"Don't worry, we'll find him," he instantly assured her as he saw her distraught red face and moist baby blue eyes. She rushed to wrap her arms around his shoulders, much to Stefan's surprise and discomfort, but he was glad that there was solid armor between him and unsolicited intimacy. Letting out a disgruntled breath, he held her and patiently comforted her.

Pulling away, Kara wiped her face with the back of her hand. "How do you know he's in danger and how did you get here so fast?" she sniffed.

"We have a psychic connection," Stefan stated matter-of-factly. "I just knew that I had to come save him the instant he was in danger," he pouted, trying his best to keep a straight face but as Kara's features twisted in wonder, he burst into laughter. "No silly, I have him chipped," he tapped at a spot behind his ear where his own chip was embedded, "He sent me a SOS the moment he was abducted. I already had a team on standby, ready to leave for Sedenach, in case something goes south during this exchange."

Kara shook her head in disbelief, "Wait a second…you're telling me that you constantly keep tabs on him?"

"I don't use it to stalk him, it's my job to keep him safe." Stefan rolled his shoulders in a half shrug and got back up on his feet. "Plus he's not as obsessed with irrelevant things like privacy, the way you are."

Getting back on her feet as well, Kara raised her palm to cut him off, "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Coming to a realization, she inquired, "Did you know about this?" Kara circled her index finger to bring his attention to their surroundings.

"About what?" He squinted his eyes, trying to fish for information she had on the situation at hand.

"Did you know that he was here to get this," she showed him the yellow sun grenade she clutched in her palm, "from that scientist who supposedly died in the attack on the Daxamite Embassy on Krypton?"

Indecisively running his hand over his clean shaven chiseled cheeks, his gaze burned into the yellow sun grenade in her hand. Securing it and getting it back to Daxam suddenly became more important than rescuing Mon-el; it's what Mon-el would have wanted him to do. He had to handle this with caution. "Where'd you get that?"

"Mon-el handed it over to me before she scooped him up and flew them away. She flew away," Kara yelled. It sounded crazy when she said it out loud. "And she had these…these…" pointing at her eyes, she stuttered, "She had these glowing blue eyes that shot lasers, and it's not a figure of speech. They quite literally shot lasers, Stefan…lasers…freezing anything in sight!" She declared as she closed the distance between them, unable to decipher his poker face.

"Was there anything else…" his gaze dropped to his feet, as he paused and then he looked back up at her, "unusual?"

Kara threw her hands in frustration, hating how delusional she must sound to any sane person. "I know this sounds crazy, believe me, I do but she flung Mon-el at that tree with such strength, as if he weighed nothing." Kara looked back at the damaged tree. "And I'm pretty sure that Mon-el assumed that she escaped before the explosion…."

"Yes, that's what she told us when we received communication from Sedenach earlier this week," Stefan clarified.

"She said…she said that she was inside the embassy when it was bombed," Kara's disbelieving gaze pierced into Stefan's stoic shell, as she desperately tried to gauge his reaction. "She said she was working on an unsuccessful prototype of this," Kara looked at the yellow sun grenade in her hand, "at the time and the explosion caused a lab accident which helped her survive the bombing and gave her these… these powers!" Kara laughed mirthlessly at the incredulous insinuation.

"Why did she kidnap Mon-el?" Stefan interrogated, completely unaffected by the shocking reveal.

"She was angry," Kara stated like a dazed child.

"Why was she angry?" Stefan demanded.

"Because of me," a sudden pang of guilt consumed her. "Rao, it was my fault!"

"Hey," he spoke in a voice softer than she had ever heard him speak in, "don't let your mind go there or you'll spiral out of control. We can't fix this mess if we start assigning blame to anyone but her."

Forking her fingers through her hair in frustration, Kara spoke absentmindedly. "She believed that Krypton was responsible for the attack and said that she lost everything because of Kryptonians…."

"Understandable," Stefan interjected.

Kara continued, "Her colleagues, her life and her intelligence," Kara listed the last two hesitantly. "She seemed pretty alive to me," she pouted.

"But her normal life ended in that accident, if what she claims is true. I wonder what she meant by her intelligence," Stefan thought out loud. Rubbing his chin, he muttered, "If that was an unsuccessful prototype, maybe it had a side effect involving brain damage."

"Yes…" Kara nodded with newfound conviction, "She seemed pretty traumatized and she called herself Bizarro, which is very bizarre self assigned nickname if you ask me."

"It is bizarre," Stefan wondered as his gaze darted between the blue sun and yellow sun grenade in Kara's hand. He wondered how Al-vira gained powers permanently, even under the blue sun. The yellow sun grenade was supposed to have temporary effects on planets that weren't illuminated by a yellow sun but if Kara's account was to be believed, not only did Al-vira have powers on Krypton but also on Sedenach. That gave him hope, 'Maybe she created multiple yellow sun grenades and maybe she had a breakthrough before she left Krypton', he thought.

Kara tilted her quizzically as she put two and two together, "Why are you not surprised by any of this?"

Stefan took a step back and scanned her from head to toe, "What do you mean?"

"I mean, if someone told me a story half as crazy as the one I laid on you just now, I wouldn't believe a word they said. How are you completely unaffected by this new reality?" Kara pouted.

Shaking his head dismissively, he explained, "I have seen crazier things in my life." Knowing well that Kara was unconvinced, he appealed to her emotional side by squeezing her biceps to show support, "And I trust you, Kara. I have no reason to doubt you."

"Wow!" she took a good look at both his hands, "I know you and our relationship enough to see right through this act."

"Act?" He laughed nervously as he looked at her with disbelief.

"Cut the bullshit Stefan! If any of this was new information to you, I would be buried in a mountain of your unique brand of sarcasm. All of this makes me sound insane and no way in hell would you ever give up such a golden opportunity for making fun of me," with a hand on her hip, she stared at him with those accusing baby blue eyes burning a hole in his soul.

"Is it so hard to believe that I am more concerned about Mon-el's safety and your emotional well being to put our differences aside?" he shot back, throwing his hands up in the air. He had gained all the intel he needed from her, now he just wanted to put an end to this conversation.

"I know this thing right here is called a Yellow Sun grenade," Kara gestured with the hand which was wrapped around the grenade. She stepped closer and whispered in his ear so that the soldiers surrounding them don't hear what she has to say, "I know that the story about Katherine's ancestor who briefly lived among the Mayans on Earth and gained godlike powers is not fictional. And I was present during your secret society's creepy ritual or prayer or motto or whatever it was, I remember the part about the powers you all desire." Staring into his eyes, with no distance between them, she declared, "I know, Stefan…I know…so drop the act!"

Letting out a defeated sigh, he looked away, "Well if you know it all, then I don't need to play around. It is of utmost importance that we get this prototype safely to Daxam, so hand it over to me." Suddenly he was cold and detached like the first time they met, as he extended his hand to retrieve the grenade.

"No!" Kara shook her head defiantly.

Stefan took a step back, in disbelief, "No?"

Kara understood what she held in the palm of her hand, she knew she had the upper hand and she had her priorities straight. "We are not going back to Daxam until we rescue Mon-el!"

"We?" Stefan let out an incredulous laugh. " _ **We**_ are not going to do anything!" He declared in a tone which left little to no room for discourse. "I have a team of highly skilled agents who are trained for such missions here to rescue Mon-el. You and the yellow sun grenade need to safely return to Daxam as Mon-el would want."

Fuming with rage, Kara inched closer to him until their faces were mere inches away. "Don't you dare speak to me as if I'm the same as this object you feel entitled to," she said, brandishing the sun grenade.

It might have been intimidating, if she didn't look even more adorable when angry. Stefan let out a disgruntled breath, before he tried to reason with her, "There's no time for this childish folly. We have a plan and the longer we stand here and argue the more risk we put Mon-el in. Will you please make my life easier and willingly leave with the guard?" Stefan gestured at two armed guards to approach them.

"I will not leave Sedenach without Mon-el," Kara stood her ground.

"You leave me no choice," Stefan stepped back. "Guards, seize her," he commanded as the two guards took her in custody. "Escort Diplomat Kara Zor-El back to Daxam and stand guard in her chambers at the Royal Palace to ensure her safety. Confiscate the weapon in her possession and make sure it's safely delivered to the defense research facility."

"You can't do this," Kara screamed. "You have no jurisdiction on this planet. This is kidnapping!" She shrugged away the as two guards who were already unsure of carrying out their orders after her accusation.

"Once you safely reach Daxam, you can file a complaint under ' _Stefan doesn't give a damn'_ ," he nonchalantly quipped before he turned his back to her and started barking orders to his team.

Kara had never felt more betrayed, she couldn't believe he would actually do that to her, especially when Mon-el's life was at stake. Before leading her away, one of the guards tried to pry the yellow sun grenade from her hand. In that instant time came to a standstill as she turned back to look at the team Stefan had assembled, none of them had seen Bizzaro. They didn't stand a chance, no amount of training or planning could help them defeat someone so invincible. Yet there was something on her person that weakened Bizzaro and brought her to her knees. Kara might not have understood what, but she knew she had a choice to make; she could either let them escort her back to Daxam like a helpless civilian and pray for Mon-el's return from the safety of her room or she could seize the opportunity he clasped in the palm of her hand and level the plain field. There was little she knew of this yellow sun grenade; it was invaluable and capable of greatness beyond measure, but so was Mon-el's life. She knew the risk but she had to save him.

Jamming her elbow into the ribs of the man struggling to take the grenade from her, she gracefully twirled and crashed her knee into the groins of the second guard holding her in place. Stefan turned on his heel, his green eyes wide as saucers. Before either of the guards could recover from the assault or Stefan could move, Kara locked eyes with Stefan daring him to stop her and smashed the yellow sun grenade into the ground underneath her. A blinding yellow light engulfed her, filling her with life, charging her power slowly coursing through her veins, until she realized that she was levitating far from the ground. The Daxamites were staring at her with their jaws dropped. She wanted nothing more than to run far away from them. She wanted to find Mon-el. Almost on instinct her body shot away in the air like a bullet. Uncontrollably piecing through the sky, her heart thumped in her chest. Letting out a deep breath, she closed her fists with newfound conviction and stretched her hands out to gain some control over the course of her fight and speed. And within moments she was up, up, and away!

Staring at the sky in disbelief, Stefan could not bring himself to form a cohesive sentence. He had never felt angrier with Kara, yet there was never a sight more beautiful and wondrous he had witnessed in the entirety of his life. "Super…Supergirl," he sighed.


End file.
